


All's Fair in Love and War

by D_f_m22



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 06:14:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 38
Words: 189,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13452234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/D_f_m22/pseuds/D_f_m22
Summary: Originally posted on fanfiction.net, moving here and hoping to continue.Missy arrives at the Tardis some time after being left on Skaro. Meanwhile, a troubling UNIT faction are causing problems for Kate. Are the two connected?





	1. Chapter one

There was never a doubt in his mind that she had survived the incident in the graveyard. That was a given. The illusion of her death, however, gave Clara some comfort and made the atmosphere between the two of them a little less stifling. It wasn't that he wanted an easy life- if that was the case he wouldn't have done half of the things he'd done in his very long life. The fact was that while he loved both Clara and Missy deeply it was in very different ways. But the two women couldn't stand the sight of each other. Of course, they hadn't particularly met in the best of circumstances and Missy had made no effort to repair Clara's first impression of her as a mad, psychopath. And while that was the case, it was ignoring all her other sides. What was funny, the Doctor thought to himself, was that as different as they were, their black and white view of each other was identical. Missy saw Clara as another of his little human pets in a long line of pretty human girls that travelled with him. She was leading a mundane human existence that was soon to expire. In this character assessment, Missy had failed to see Clara's caring side, the impact she has on the kids she teaches and how brave she can be. Clara, for her part, thought Missy was absolutely bonkers and she would have found her behaviour amusing if she didn't know how dangerous it was. What Clara failed to see, however, was what had made Missy that way. She had also never seen all the years of friendship he had shared with Missy- the years running through fields in Gallifrey, the years at the Academy and the many times she'd been in his thoughts over the last few years.

Clara never would be able to fully comprehend the relationship that he and Missy shared. It was not her fault, of course, she was only human. The Doctor inwardly cringed. Only human. If Clara had heard it, she would have immediately snapped at him for such a generalisation, perhaps she would have labelled him a 'speciesist' if there was such a thing. In this case, though, the 'only-human' label was not meant as an insult, not in the way that it would have been had the words fallen from Missy's mouth where each syllable would drip with condescension. No, whenever he thought of Clara as only-human it was a way of explaining the sometimes insurmountable differences between their lives. Saying Clara was 'only human ' could mean a lot of things, but it was never meant as an insult. Maybe one day soon he'd try and explain his and Missy's relationship to Clara, but it would have to be when her heart was less heavy with a longing for P.E. and she was less likely to start a fight- a fight that she would never win. As much as he loved Clara, she would be annihilated by Missy if she ever tried to take her on. Given the state of Clara and Missy's current relationship, the Doctor had chosen to keep any contact he'd had with Missy following her apparent death discreet.

Discreet it had been. So discreet, in fact, that the Doctor wasn't sure if it had ever actually happened. There had been the occasional, fleeting conversation on some planet somewhere or another. Later on, conversation seemed to stop all together and a wave or knowing glance was their only form of contact. Then it all went quiet, radio silence descending. Discreetness never was her forte, and silence, for this length of time at least, was definitely not like her. So his concern had steadily started to grow. When he saw her goading a crowd, winding Clara up and killing Daleks, though he had been reassured, somewhat. Her recent discreetness probably meant that she had been conspiring some sort of universe-wide domination rather than falling into self-destruct mode. Of course, a universal domination plot was concerning but nothing compared to Missy in self-destruct mode. The Doctor remembered those periods of her life far too well.

The Doctor had been hoping to see her and have a chance to talk to her properly after leaving Skaro. When they had been in the graveyard, she had seemed so genuine when she begged for her friend back. In that moment all the chaos she'd brought about and hurt she had caused fell away, he wanted to embrace her and reassure her that all he wanted was his friend back too. Of course, with her, there was always the high possibility that it was a trick, a mere step in another one of her elaborate plans. But this time something had felt different and he'd been determined to broach the subject with her. He'd had it all planned out, after dropping Clara off home, where she would have marking or planning or both to be distracted by, he would set off with the sole purpose of finding Missy. The Doctor was loathed to say that he wanted them to have a hearts to hearts, but they were in dire need of something. However, as always with her, she ruined it at the last minute. Trying to trick him into killing Clara was a new low for even her and he had been so angry with her. So. Angry. He cursed his own naivety, she didn't want her friend back and she was just as evil as she always had been. Now weeks had passed, or was it months? He wasn't sure, but he did know that his anger was now subsiding and his concern was once again growing. She had to be okay, she always landed on her feet. Being sure of her unrivaled survival abilities, however, didn't stop him worrying and every time anyone had tried to contact him he'd hoped it was her. It never was, though.

That was until 2am this morning, when she had rocked up at the Tardis door looking more than a little disheveled, her eyes revealing that she was even more unhinged than she had been when they last met. The Doctor looked her up and down and, judging by her appearance, guessed she had been using some more of her 'cheap and nasty' time travel. He sighed. Where was her Tardis? Well, that was just one of many questions he had for her. She looked like she'd been in the wars, nothing new there then. She probably started the war. But this time she looked tired, hurt almost. There was something different going on here. He didn't know what to do first: hug her, kiss her or kill her. Any remaining anger he felt towards her had left him when she stepped before him in this state. What was he going to say, to do? It didn't matter, in the end she spoke before he was even able to formulate a sentence in his head.

"Oh do close your mouth, dear" he'd obviously been staring more than he thought. "You've seen me look worse than this. Now, what does a girl have to do to get a cup of tea?" she asked it so casually, as though she didn't look like she'd just lost a war with all the evils of the universe and hadn't caused him months of emotional turmoil. "Where have you... what happ... What do you want?" He struggled to formulate the correct question and wasn't completely happy with the one he had settled on. It had sounded too harsh, too accusing. He wanted to open up a conversation not accuse her of the inevitable trouble she had gotten into this time. "Oh don't act like you're not a teensy weensy bit pleased to see me!" She gestured her hands in her usual exaggerated manner but looked faint and lost her footing from her sudden exertion of energy. In an attempt to regain her superiority she tapped her head, eyes maddening by the second, and waggled her finger at him exclaiming "because I know you have been thinking about me. That whole telepathic thing, Doctor, you can't hide from me!" She was right, he couldn't. But she couldn't hide from him and right now he knew that this wasn't going the way she had planned. She was acting like a cornered wild animal and if he didn't diffuse this situation soon, she was going to snap. So after a little thought he carefully approached her and said softly "I'm more than a bit pleased to see you. I think me and you need to have a little chat. Come and sit down, I'll get you a cup of tea." Her face softened and for the first time he saw just how tired she really was. However, that didn't stop her having a sarcastic snipe at him "are you going to try your righter than right martyr act with me? Because I'm not one of your pretty little Damsels in Distress." The Doctor chuckled and rolled his eyes, she never could accept help or let anyone else have the last word. "Yes, yes. I know, you're The Mistress. You don't need any help from anyone in the entire universe, so you're not about to accept it from me. But you will accept a cup of tea. Milk and three sugars, isn't it?" The Doctor queried, raising his eyebrows and watching as she laid her head back, stretching her feet out onto the book-laden coffee table and giving him a thumbs up before closing her eyes. He sighed and rolled his eyes, at this rate she wouldn't be awake long enough to have her tea- let alone tell him what the bloody hell was going on.


	2. Chapter two

The tea warmed her body to the core and made her feel safer than she had done in a time longer than she cared to remember. The humming of the Tardis was like a comforting lullaby soothing away some of her demons, the dim lighting wrapping her into a sense of comfort that made her want to drift off to sleep. A sleep of a thousand years would be nice, she thought. A sleep that would let her mind be still and allow her not to exist, for just a little while. It would never happen, but wasn't it a nice thought? Her mind, that swirled with angry, hateful thoughts in her waking hours became even more alive with vicious thoughts in her limited hours of slumber. Mercifully, Time Lords didn't need too much sleep. If she needed as much sleep as her human counterparts, she'd have all but stopped functioning by now. Talking of mercy, had she been granted some by this old box? The Old Girl had barely hissed in her direction since she arrived, not the usual welcome she received. In fact, her reception had been quite welcoming- could the Tardis sense how pathetic she had become? Did she pity her for getting out of her depth in a such a screwed up situation?

Missy had wanted to come running to the Doctor when all this had started and she had tried to tell him she needed her friend back. But of course he hadn't believed her, who would have believed her after all her tricks and plots when she finally admitted she needed help and was in a hell of a lot of trouble. There's some human story about that, isn't there? The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Well, she was here now and judging by his concerned expression and the length of time he was taking to say anything, maybe now he was going to believe her. Missy could feel him trying to read her mind, but as tired as she was, her mental shields weren't down just yet. She was going to tell him everything. Well everything she could remember anyway. Truth be told she was becoming increasingly concerned at how little she remembered and how jumbled her memories seemed. But whatever she did tell him, was going to be on her terms and not through him entering her memories. It wasn't that she didn't trust him. She trusted the Doctor more than anyone in the entire universe that had ever existed or ever would. No, trust wasn't the issue here. The issue here was that he could be so easily hurt by the pain of others and she didn't want to become responsible for inflicting any of her pain on him.

Exhaling deeply and turning her head to face him without opening her eyes she explained to him softly "you don't need to do that. I'm going to tell you the truth. Everything. Just give me a minute, poppet, I want to finish my cuppa." Pausing for a moment and massaging her forehead she looked as though she was wearily formulating her next words "you can trust me this time. That sounds laughable, I know but I mean it Thete." As the Doctor looked at her, she tried to gauge what he was thinking. He looked concerned, she'd seen this face before, of course, but it had never been directed at her. It had been directed at one of his little girl companions, or maybe at her actions but never actually at her. Maybe he really does care. "Of course I really care. And I've shown you concern a lot in the past, you just weren't well enough to remember it. And I want to trust you, I really do, but you're going to need to be completely honest with me." His voice was laced with compassion and firmness and he moved closer to her, taking her hand in his own. His touch was warm and comforting and when they looked into each others eyes it felt as though she had come home.

That moment of comfort was to fleeting and she had to break their eye contact almost as soon as it started for fear that he would see the full extent of her despair. Pulling her icy blue orbs away from his grey ones, she forced herself to focus on the corner of the Tardis just above his head. It was a dusty, dark corner and she was sure she could see a cobweb starting to form. She found herself wondering if he ever dusted or tidied the old box. That could be one use for all those human pets he was so keen on collecting, she thought. Now her eyes weren't locked on his, she could feel herself starting to drift. The kind of drifting where she criticised his housekeeping skills were fine but the dark ones were emerging now, engulfing her mind in the same way that the cobweb was engulfing that dusty, dark corner. Closing her eyes, it was total darkness. The web of shadows wrapped around her, voices whispered to her to submit to the darkness and memories flashed across her mind. People. A cage. A chain around her neck. Injections. Restraints. Shivering. Starving. All alone. She could have submitted to her memories then, let the madness carry her away to the abyss. And she would have done, had his voice not carried her back to reality. "Missy?" he asked, "Yes, yes. Just thinking" she replied.

She'd obviously been too quiet for too long because before long he spoke again, chuckling he observed "I don't think I've ever seen you so subdued for this length of time. Not even all those times you were literally sedated and restrained." He was trying to lighten the mood. She didn't blame him for that. "I don't know what to say, or where to start. Its all gotten so out of my control" she found the words tumbling out of her mouth. This was it. Time to tell him the truth. She looked down at her blood red finger nails, digging them sharply into her palm, and without looking back up explained "after my regeneration, I was weak, I didn't know where I was. I wasn't even sure of who I was. But there was someone there, or some people, I should say. If I had been my normal strength, I would have been able to fight them off. But you know what it is like after a regeneration" she paused looking up at him, hoping to find something in his eyes that said he believed her, that he understood her. After a moment he ran his hand through his silver curls, offering a soft "you shouldn't have been on your own after a regeneration, but you never have been good at letting others in." She rolled her eyes and continued "well I'm trying to let you in now, but I'm tired and its such a long story and I'm so confused. It's hard to know what to tell you." She paused, inhaling deeply and whispering "I feel like I'm drowning again." She said it with a serious intent, hoping he would know what she was talking about.

One look from him told her he did. His brow was furrowed and his greyish-blue eyes had darkened. "Okay, okay, okay. I get it. Stay with me in the Tardis for a while. I don't want you out there in the big, bad universe for a while. Especially when you're not up to being the thing that makes it big and bad. Not that I'm condoning any of your behaviour, but I worry about you deeply when you're like this." She looked up at him, at some point he'd started talking Galiffreyan and she had only just realised. It was comforting, something only they shared and made her feel like it would all be okay. For the time being. She still needed to explain everything that had happened though and she knew he wasn't going to have forgotten. "You're tired and you're going to stay with me for a while, but first I need to know what kind of trouble you're in. Is it to do with the Time War? the High Council? Daleks? Cybermen?" She sighed and, trying to bring back some humour laughed "oh you know, all of the above and something I can't quite put my finger on yet. There's an off-shoot of your friends UNIT and they are collecting weapons and resources to start a war bigger than the Time Wars. They're building an army. They found out who I was and have been testing on me for I don't know how long. My timeline is screwed- one of their torture methods. Torment a Time Lord by warping their sense of time. Classic! They want information on you, too. But don't worry, dear, I protected my oldest friend." She had said it half in jest, a way of trying to take back some control, but he had known she was deadly serious. "I never doubted that. But, Missy, my Missy, they've hurt you. Again. And I've let them again. And people I thought were on my side." She rolled her eyes, "bloody hell, Doctor, a thank you would have sufficed but you always have to be so sentimental. All those humans, no doubt, rotting that almost-as-marvelous-as-mine brain of yours. Well, I imagine you have more questions than ever but you'll have to wait. For now, take me to bed". He nodded and offered her a hand to help her off the sofa, but just as he did, she said something that startled him "oh, and the final nail in the coffin, dearie, is that that lovely little blonde- kathy, katie...or whatever her name is, she handed me over to them.'


	3. Chapter three

Apart from the initial act of bravado, Missy had shown herself vulnerable, not something that she usually did. As the evening went on, she had retreated further and further into herself. It got to the point where he wasn't even sure if she was still with him or floating away somewhere. He was worried. Worried about a lot of things, really. Of course, her revelations were concerning but it wouldn't be the first time they had had to face an evil force together. They could sort out that evil force again. Well, as soon as they knew exactly what they were facing, they could. Right now, his main concern was her. When she was talking, he had been keenly observing her. The way she moved, her demeanor, the flinches at sudden noises and the winces of pain. She was more injured-both mentally and physically- than she was letting on. The last time he'd seen her like this was just after she'd endured another torturing at the hands of their own people during the Time War. She had been in this body, he thinks, but can't be sure. He'd been in one of his other bodies, he thinks, but can't be sure. Not that any of that really mattered, not really. The torture, on this occasion, had been horrific and caused her to completely succumb to her madness. Those were dark days for them. She didn't speak or eat for two weeks, just laid in the dark clinging to him for dear life. Then, about half way through the third week, the mania returned to her eyes and he couldn't calm her down at all. She spent her days sharpening weapons, ranting about how she would single handedly destroy Gallifrey for all they had done to her. Then, with the drop of a hat, she was back to whimpering in the dark. That cycle continued for a very long time and, while she did get more stable, he knew that her sanity was always on the brink. Now it looked as though she was about to be pushed back over the edge once more- and this time it had been caused by someone he considered a friend, an ally or at very least a colleague. What was Kate thinking? He'd be having a word with her very, very soon. Right now, though, he had to deal with Missy.

Although she had said she wanted to sleep, Missy hadn't closed her eyes once since they had reached his bedroom. She had been silent the whole walk there and he was convinced that she would fall fast asleep by the time her head hit the pillow. That wasn't the case. From where he was sat in the corner of the room, she looked so frail, so damaged. The large duvet covered her tiny frame and her piercing blue eyes were the only things that stood out in the blanket of darkness. Anyone from the cosmos that happened upon the sorry sight would have never associated the woman laying in bed shivering with the mighty Master, capable of wreaking havoc on the universe. Whatever had happened to her this time had been bad.

The Doctor sighed heavily and spoke as softly as he could, "Missy, love, if you're not going to sleep just yet, can I check you over? I'm worried about the extent of some of your injuries." He had meant to speak softly, as to avoid startling her but it hadn't worked and she still practically jumped out of her skin. He approached her carefully, crouching down to her level and stroking her hair "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to make you jump. It's just me, that Old Idiot in the Box. Come back from wherever your mind has taken you and we'll look over those wounds." Her eyes reached his, almost as though they were anchoring her in reality. "Yes flaming idiot. You are definitely that" she spoke with her voice barley above a whisper, her usual defiance not quite reaching her eyes on this occasion. "You can check the wounds, I tried to patch a few up myself but it proved rather difficult. But I'm not going on some terrible stretcher to one of those awful hospital beds in that med bay of yours. They're in a worse state than the NHS ones in Glasgow post-Tory cuts. And honestly, I'm labelled the villain. Have you seen that slimy man's smirk? Then there's that pig fetish..." she trailed off and he chuckled at her quip, even though he knew the real reason for her objection to his hospital beds was more to do with fear than anything else.

The Doctor knew all too well that when she had been tortured on Gallifrey, she had been strapped to a hospital bed for hours, sometimes days, on end. All alone in a dark, cold and sterile room with only her fractured mind as company. No doubt this new UNIT off-shoot had also used the same methods. After centuries of torture from a hospital bed, it would make sense that she would have developed an aversion to them. He'd been thinking too long and she had begun to drift again. "I wouldn't even attempt to get you into one of those awful things. You stay here, where it's warm and comfortable and I'll go and get my kit" she had looked up at him, eyes big with alarm, "can I come with you?" she practically begged, it broke his hearts. "No, no you stay here. You're hurt, I'll be quicker on my own. I'll leave the light on. Remember what we practiced last time, slow counting to ten if you start to panic."

The Doctor had paced down the corridor to retrieve his medical supplies as quickly as possible and was now returning with his bag of supplies. He hadn't turned back to Missy. For one, he didn't know if she had felt patronised and he didn't particularly fancy being scolded by her. Also, he could sense her getting clingy and frightening herself more, the sooner he left the sooner he'd be back to limit her distress. He was about to turn the corner back into his room when his phone began to ring, he always forgot about this new mobile Clara had given him.

"Clara!" he answered, feigning a casual nonchalance. "Doctor" Clara answered, an element of surprise in her voice, "I wasn't expecting you to answer so quickly. It's not like you" she explained. "What do you mean? I'm the easiest person in the universe to get hold of. When I want someone to get hold of me, that is" he rambled off, before adding "anyway, do forgive me, but I've got a bit of a developing situation here. An old friend has dropped by, a little worse for wear and, well I guess you could say that the Doctor is needed." He smiled to himself goofily, sometimes he did enjoy living up to his self-given title. "That old friend happen to be Missy?" Clara asked curtly, "Because we have a little situation down here on planet Earth that is almost 99% linked to your old friend's current predicament." .

Bugger it. Fuck it. Shit it. He'd been rumbled, Clara knew Missy was alive and, no doubt, was about to blame her for whatever shitstorm was brewing on earth. Why did he suddenly feel like an adulterous husband, caught between his wife and mistress? He'd only been trying to keep the peace and help a friend out and it, as always, had backfired on him terrifically. The idea that Missy had deceived him and this was a trap had begun to creep into his mind, but the notion was quickly quashed when he heard her vulnerable whimper from the next room. It was a whimper that took him right back to all her other breakdowns of her past and the ones he'd had the misfortune of seeing in her future. Yes, she was manipulative but he knew when she was pretending and when she wasn't. This wasn't an act. "Okay, Clara... I was going to tell you about Missy but.. well.. it's incredibly complex and she's really hurting at the moment. You don't know her like I do, but whatever you think she's done, she hasn't and-" he had tried to formulate a coherent explanation, but had messed it up. The situation deserved a proper explanation, but he only had seconds not the millennia it truly needed. "Doctor, Shut up!" interrupted Clara, " I know she isn't to blame. Not this time, anyway. But UNIT have called an emergency meeting about a faction that has gone rogue. I'm with Kate and, well, she's shown me some of what's happened to Missy at their hands and no one deserves that. Not even her. This faction is getting out of control, they've got an army. They're planning attacks on civilians- human and otherwise. We need you're help."

The Doctor paused, deep in thought. Hadn't Missy said Kate was the one to hand her over to the rebel UNIT faction? She could have been confused, a high possibility, given her current state. But, the Doctor thought it was something else- Kate had probably brokered some kind of a deal, gotten out of her depth, Missy had suffered as a result and now they were declaring war on an organisation that had started out as an ally. His expression darkened and his hand formed into a fist. When did UNIT's tactics become so akin to American Foreign Policy? "O.K, how immediate is the threat? I can't leave Missy alone like this" the Doctor asked, starting to mentally assess the situation's severity. "It's not that immediate. The group are dormant at the moment but we're expecting imminent attacks. Kate wants a meeting with you ASAP." He took in the information, before ordering "fine, fine, okay here's what we'll do, I'll pick you and Kate up from your flat in about half an hour. Of course, I'm going to help the human race again, but for the time being Kate needs to know my main priority is Missy. Oh, and Clara, please keep safe."


	4. Chapter four

Missy returned to her internal reverie soon after he had left for the med bay. Well it couldn't really be called a reverie- it wasn't peaceful, it was filled with horrible thoughts. Demons that fed on her soul and voices that wouldn't be silenced. When the Doctor had left, she'd wanted to go with him. She hadn't been lucid for most of the evening, but she knew that it was his voice that was keeping her from drifting away completely. She could feel herself falling downwards in the same way that she had done before- not that she remembered much from those periods of time. But she had remembered how the descents started, how she had been unable to move, on the Tardis' cold floor and- worst of all- the concerned glances the Doctor had always given her when she started to emerge from the madness. He had always made her promise,in those early days of feeling better, that she would come back to him, when the darkness returned. She could hear him now "not just when you've been suffering for months and reached breaking point" he would say "as soon as the very first dark thought arrives. I can help." Well this time around she had come as soon as she could. But maybe it wasn't soon enough. There were too many shadows and they were looming over her, waiting to feed on mind. She saw the needles, the drugs, the restraints every time she closed her eyes.

Missy forced her eyes open. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up." she scolded her delinquent mind. "He'll be back in a minute. Just distract yourself until then." She dug her fingernails sharply into her upper thigh in an attempt to centre her mind. "Count his footsteps", she ordered herself, "one...two...three" and she continued that way for several minutes, digging her fingernails further into her thigh each time her mind started to drift. Then she heard the phone ring. Clara, she thought. Must be, who else would he answer the phone to so quickly? She's going to turn him against her. She'd be sent back to that tiny laboratory to be at the mercy of her captors. She imagined the conversation they were having "You don't really believe her, do you Doctor?" Clara would say, her voice laced with a mocking condescension. "It's all just a trick." Then the Doctor would side with Clara, "Of course, it's a trick" he would say, "anyway, she deserves this, without a doubt. Villainous psychopaths don't deserve compassion." Then they would whizz away, abandoning her on some dying planet. Yes, that was exactly how this was going to play out. She should never have come here, his far to preoccupied with his little pets these days to ever care about her. That was when she could no longer fight off the madness, it had descended and left her whimpering and alone in the dark. Again.

The door opened and she felt him enter the room, her eyes, however, stayed locked straight ahead. "Missy?" his voice broke the silence "sorry I was a bit longer than expected. I had a phone call. There's an emergency, we're going to have to drop by and pick up Clara and deal with a situation on Earth. I have to go and play my President of Planet Earth role again." She heard him, but didn't respond. Here, it came. The part where he told her he couldn't help her, she'd have to leave and he was going off with Clara. "I've told them you're my priority though, and I mean it." That gave her a small amount of hope. She hadn't been expecting that. It had been so long since he had prioritised her over anyone or anything else. "Really?" she croaked, tears forming in her eyes. "Yes, really. You're tired, love, let me give you something to sleep. That way you can rest and I can deal with some morons. I'll check you over later." She nodded. Normally, she would have protested and want to be a part of whatever action was going on. In this case, though, she really was tired and didn't want to be seen by the humans that normally feared her when she was like this. A long, sedated sleep really did sound blissful. Although, something dawned on her and she tentatively asked "Is it a needle, though." He had already started filling the syringe, when he turned and said softly "yes, but its me administering it. Look at me and hold my hand, it'll be over before you know it. You're going to fall asleep almost immediately." She tried to be brave, she really did, but she couldn't stop herself from crying and retreating from him as the fluid entered her veins. She felt the warm liquid tingling through her body. It started to make her limbs and eye lids heavy. She felt the Doctor's hand stroking her hair out of her eyes and forehead, "shh, shh come on now close your eyes. It'll be okay, I'll be here when you wake up." She struggled a bit more against it but eventually let herself fall asleep.


	5. Chapter five

The Doctor continued to stroke Missy's forehead after she had eventually fallen asleep. That was harder than he had expected, they'd have to find a more effective way of administering sedatives in the future. It would make both their lives easier. He knew from experience that her sleeping habits were worst than his and he doubted that had changed. The Doctor started to undo Missy's hair and remove her corset. He wanted her to have a peaceful sleep and that wouldn't be possible without the removal of her restrictive attire. One of his nightshirts would do for her for tonight, even though it would swamp her. They'd find her something more suitable in the coming days.

Changing her also gave him the chance to have a quick look at the extent of her wounds. It was a bloodied map of scars and bruises, that made him wince. The worst thing was that he knew some of them were self-inflicted. Where had he been when she felt so bad that she needed to return to dragging a blade across her bare skin? He should have known, kept a closer eye on her. What an awful mess this all was and he was going to have to try and clean it all up. Placing Missy back down onto the bed, he pulled the covers over her and turned off the light. Delicately he kissed her forehead and whispered "rest well, Missy" before exiting the room, leaving the door slightly ajar- preempting her becoming unsettled later in the evening.

Reaching the Tardis' console, he put in the coordinates to Clara's flat and stepped back as the engine hummed into life. It was the first chance of the evening he'd had to think on his own. Why is everything always so complicated with them? Why couldn't she ever just turn up for a cup of a tea and a catch up? Always bringing some kind of chaos in her wake. No, he scolded himself. This wasn't her fault, she'd got caught up in something bigger than herself. They must have cottoned on to her vulnerabilities early on, he concluded. UNIT already knew of her past, the years she had spent in captivity tortured by her own people. They would have known it wouldn't take long to break her if they used the same tactics repetitively. They must have found her when she was weak and preyed on that weakness. Worst of all, they probably thought that what they were doing was right. They needed a Time Lord to test on, better to test on the one that tried to destroy their planet than the one that kept on saving it. It was a justifiable punishment, in their eyes, that would keep her from wreaking havoc in the universe while serving a purpose to them.

When had they taken her? She had said it had been straight after her regeneration, but was that accurate? They had been messing with her timeline and torturing her psyche in unimaginable ways. They could easily of imprinted false information on her mind. He would have to clarify details with Kate, and she was going to tell him as much as she knew whether she liked it or not. The Tardis was beginning to reach her destination, time to save the world again. Before opening the door, the Doctor peered around his bedroom door to check that Missy was still asleep. She wouldn't want other people to see her like this. Especially not when those people were his Earth play things, as she would put it. From where she was laying, all tucked up on her side, the Doctor could make out the bruises that were starting show on her face as her make up was wearing off. She looked so frail, but the steady rise and fall of her tiny frame showed she was getting the rest she so desperately needed.

"Clara. Always a pleasure" he smiled, welcoming his friend back into the Tardis before turning his attention to the older woman who, usually so sure of herself, lagged behind hovering at the entrance of his Tardis. "Kate. I think it's about time we got this sorted, Don't you? Come on in and tell me what we're dealing with. Judging by the state of Missy, it's bad." Kate looked sheepish, guilt radiating from the pores of her skin "we thought we had it under control..." she started before the Doctor interrupted "Oh of course you did. That's how all the best stories start. They always think they have it under control." "Doctor, let her finish" Clara warned, walking over to his side. He raised his eyebrows at her but let Kate continue. "Well anyway, we had set up a new division at UNIT that had the ultimate aim of creating an army using DNA from some of the most highly skilled species in the universe. Of course, not all of those species are on our side but we couldn't deny that they do know how to fight a war. If we could gain an insight into their techniques, we could enhance our strength considerably. We didn't tell you about it because, well we couldn't exactly see you agreeing to it on a moral level." He gave her an exasperated look before exclaiming "of course, I wouldn't have agreed to it on a moral level. It's torture- you realise that don't you? What they were doing, no scratch that- what you let them do, to Missy and all the others they had captured was torture. It doesn't matter what they may or may not have done- it doesn't warrant torture Kate!" The blonde backed away, looking ashamed of what had happened. After a while she spoke "I know, and I'm sorry Doctor. But we really did think this army would be a successful defence against alien threats. And, if I'm honest, I don't regret what they did to Missy. It was a taste of her own medicine and may actually work as a deterrent. I don't know what history you two have, but you have to admit that she deserved some kind of punishment." The Doctor felt his blood boil. "You're right. You have no idea about our history. You have no idea about her history, either. If you did you might have thought twice before authorising her torture. You'd have known how mentally unstable she was and the trauma of years and years of torture that she carried around with her. Kate, I swear, if you want my help, I never want to hear you say that Missy deserved this again. I told Clara on the phone, my priority is Missy and you need to realise that."

There was a long silence, neither Kate or the Doctor daring look at each other. It fell to Clara to break the tension "right, I think we all need to sit down and talk about this maturely. We have all done things that we're ashamed of, but, right now, we need to work together to defeat this faction." Reluctantly, they looked up to eachother and made to talk simultaneously "I'm sorry- no, no you first" they both said. "Look, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that Kate. You're trying to protect your planet, your home. Missy has done some awful things and I cant expect you to understand her in the same way that I do." He stopped there, waiting to see how his apology would be received. "No Doctor, I should be apologising. We shouldn't have done those things to any of them, not even Missy. It's not all fair in war, but sometimes we all forget that." The Doctor nodded, before coughing and responding "yes, well we're all guilty of that. And we can all do terrible, terrible things when we're scared. But, right now we're going to fix this."


	6. Chapter six

"Great. So now that's all cleared up, what are we actually going to do about that UNIT off-shoot?" Clara questioned. The three of them had recently retired to the lounge, armed with cups of tea and a burning fire, the Doctor had spent the past half an hour or so reviewing the file that Kate had gifted to him. "Is there scope for peaceful negotiations? What would it take to get them to the table, Kate?" Kate opened her mouth to respond, but the answer didn't fall from her lips. Instead it came from just behind her, in the doorway "oh, Thete, dear. Please don't be so boring and naive. Its quite sweet actually, you're centuries old and you still think that war can be fought and won with seductive whispers of peace, love and understanding. Do come off it. You know it, I know it and even the humans know it. This group speak one language- the language of violence. And nobody speaks the language of violence better than me."

The trio turned to face Missy, the two women were shocked at the sight of the Time Lady. She was swaying in spite of facade of strength and intimidation. If she didn't sit down soon, they feared she would collapse. From the bruises and tearstained cheeks, her fragility was clear, but the mania in her eyes was clearer still. The Doctor's own eyes darkened and he sighed. When it was just the two of them, she had been the purest form of herself. Now there was an audience, she was back to her theatrical play acting. He was trying to formulate a way to convince her that she wasn't quite as ready to fight the universe's battles as she thought she was when, to his surprise, Clara approached her. Speaking cautiously with an air of authority, Clara stated "you're right Missy. You really are. Why don't you come and sit down with us? We could really use your help." Missy looked just as surprised as the Doctor, Clara's words had caught her off guard and it took her a moment to recover. "Yes, well of course I'm right dear. I always am." The Doctor and Kate watched in amazement as Missy actually followed Clara's request, sitting down next to the Doctor and settling into his side. No one was surprised when she went in for the last word "I am glad I didn't kill you, poppet." "I'm pretty pleased about it too" Clara replied "you look a bit worse than the last time we met. Been in the wars?" Clara kept her tone light, but her features turned serious when she added "we want your help, Missy, and you will get your chance at revenge but if you go into battle like this, you'll be a liability to us all. Now, if you listen to the Doctor and look after yourself and let us look after you, well, the bastards just won't stand a chance." The Doctor smiled to himself, the teacher in his impossible girl was coming out. She knew how to deal with difficult students and none were more difficult than Missy.

The Doctor had wrapped his arm around Missy's waist as soon as she sat down. It was partly a way of making sure she didn't stand up again and partly protective, to make sure she felt safe. "You should still be in bed, Missy. You're not well, you can try and convince everyone otherwise but it's not going to fly. Not with me and not with them" he nodded his head in the direction of Kate and Clara but whispered so only she could hear. "I know." She agreed, to his surprise "but I don't want to go back in there on my own. The shadows are there, they're looming over me." She said it with the deepest sincerity before returning to her default theatrics, exclaiming "and, we have guests! If you were planning a murderous revenge campaign, you definitely want me on your side." The Doctor took a sharp intake of breath and bit down on his tongue, he didn't want to snap at Missy, not when she was like this- precariously treading the trapeze line of mild insanity and complete mental instability. Why hadn't Clara ever written him any flashcards on how to deal with this scenario? "Drop the theatrics, Missy. You're not fooling me. I won't make you go back to your room alone. Stay here with us, for an hour tops, we need to formulate something that at least resembles a plan. But at least try and close your eyes and have a rest." Like that was going to happen, he thought to himself, but he might as well try. "You've barely been out for more than an hour, and I gave you the strongest sedative." Looking into her dilated pupils, he could tell that she was still tired and very much under the effect of the aforementioned sedative. If he could just get her to close her eyes, she would be back to sleep in no time. "Humour me Missy, close your ey-..." "Actually" Kate interrupted him "now your here, perhaps we could use your intelligence." Bloody Letheridge-Stewart. He had been so close to getting her back to sleep, well maybe not, but he would like to have at least seen it play out to see if it would have worked. Missy's eyes, that had been drifting shut, widened and locked onto Kate's as she sharply answered "well, yes dear, you could always use my intelligence. I'm glad you're finally realising it, your father never did. Silly fool." The Doctor raised his eyebrows at Kate, as if to say "did you really not see that one coming?" as Kate responded with a "right, well not quite what I meant. Missy, you're the only one out of all of us that has been inside the faction. What you know, might be able to offer some kind of an insight and that could lead to us finding some kind of a resolution."

Missy bolted upright at that, feeling the Doctor try to pull her back but using all her strength to resist. "You're right. I am the only one, I remember it well. Trauma has a knack of sticking around." A slight shiver ran through her body, she felt the Doctor's hand stroke her back, finding its final resting place on the small of her back. It was comforting and managed to steady her thoughts, that were becoming increasingly jumbled. Guards back up after her slight falter, she propositioned "I'll tell you what I know, lovey, but you have to tell me who gave me to your little faction. It's sweet, their little attempt at world domination, but they wouldn't have been able to entrap me without help from some higher species. I get a strong whiff of Time Lord from this whole situation. Don't you, Doctor? I'll tell you something, their tactics are very reminiscent of those in the early days of the Time War." She chanced a look back at the Doctor, not quite sure what she was looking for when she met his icy eyes. She heard him in her mind reassuringly stating "You don't have to do this Missy. Not if you don't want to." Damn her mental shields really were down, she'd blame that on the sedatives pumping through her veins. She didn't bother to reply to him telepathically. It would be too easy for her to be lulled into that comfort and she had to do this. Instead, she vocally addressed the two women in the room "So what do you want to know?"


	7. Chapter seven

Missy watched Kate with curiosity as she suddenly became very business like. Pulling out a notebook and pen, Missy found herself being reminded of some human crime drama she'd had the misfortune of viewing somewhere along the line. "Okay, now we can stop this at anytime and if there's something you don't want to answer, that's fine." Well, that cemented that image. This softly, softly method was not something she was used to. She could sense the Doctor's eyes burning into the back of her head and could only imagine that he was giving Kate a stern warning, leading to this touchy feely nonsense. "Let's just get on with it, shall we?" she stated, suddenly just wanting to get this over and done with. "I guess the obvious place to start is what you remember about your first days there. Do you remember where you were? How you got there?" Missy closed her eyes. This was harder than she thought it would be. Don't be weak she chastised herself, digging her nails into her thighs the same way she had done when she'd been left alone earlier, this time drawing blood. Don't be weak in front of them. She went to speak, but before she did she reached out for the Doctor telepathically. "Doctor, are you there?" She knew the answer, of course, but just needed the reassurance. "I'm here, I've got you" he reassured dutifully, taking her hand and stopping it from continuing its onslaught on her thigh, "Don't do that, love, you don't need to." With the telepathic link made, that was all the reassurance she needed to start her account "I have this memory of how I got there but I don't think its a true memory. I think its been imprinted on my mind, because I should have still been on Gallifrey after my regeneration but the place I was taken from was a spaceship of some kind, docked nowhere near Gallifrey." She paused there. This was so much more confusing than she thought it would be. "Why is this so difficult, Doctor, why can't I remember these simple details" She felt the Doctor squeeze her hand, "Just tell them what you know, they may be able to fill in some gaps for us."

Missy was surprised when Clara spoke up, breaking the silence that had befallen the room when the two Time Lords had begun their telepathic conversation. The tiny brunette had been a mostly silent observer to the evenings proceedings thus far. "I don't think this is fair, Kate. You know how she got there and you know what their ultimate plan was. Missy is clearly, whether she wants to admit it or not, disorientated and traumatised. She's not in the position to tell us anything new, or beneficial. I've seen the files and the films of what was going on in that terrible prison, so have you. I think that Missy is owed some answers and, if she's up to it, you should tell her what you know." Missy looked up at Clara's giant brown orbs. Oh yes, she had chosen well with her. She just kept proving that to her. Speaking softly, she was getting tired of this weak voice but it was all she had the energy to muster, she addressed the young human "I hope you know, Miss Oswald, I only try and kill people I really like. It's my terms of endearment, ask this guy" she added, motioning her head to the Doctor. Taken aback by the sudden admission of affection (if you could call it that), Clara responded stating "I've always suspected as much" adding what looked like an attempt at a reassuring smile, "so do you want to know what we know?" She didn't need to think twice, "Yes" she nodded, "I need to know."

With that, Kate took over, starting her explanation. "You're right when you say that you weren't taken straight after your regeneration. You were brought to us, well to what is now the faction, by the Time Lords." She felt the Doctor stiffen against her, she knew it. Of course, it would be those bastards behind this. Kate continued, taking into account the change in body language of both the Doctor and Missy. "This was before the 3W and the cybermen and everything else. They explained who you were and said that strategically, you could be very useful. I'm sorry to have to admit to you Missy, that it wasn't you behind 3W or any of that. They planned it all. They told us you would do all of it and we let it all play out, it was to make the Doctor think that you were up to all your old tricks. In the meantime, they told us that we should use your new female form to start reproducing Gallifreyans and also to mix Time Lord DNA with that of the other most powerful species in the universe." It was all starting to formulate in her mind, she found her hand resting over her stomach, how could she have forgotten this? She was trying to find words to respond to these revelations but instead was stunned into silence.

It was the Doctor that spoke, seemingly having no trouble finding the words, "Idiots! It must have taken a while for your little experiments to succeed, considering Time Lords don't reproduce in the same way as humans. But you just kept trying, didn't you, it didn't matter how trauma-filled and agonising it was for Missy. And then, I'd say about a week ago, the faction had a breakthrough. Missy became pregnant and the Time Lords returned and freed her, sending her back to me." He paused, hands running through his hair, "you know that this... this... breeding, it isn't to repopulate Gallifrey with lots of little time tots, creating a world where we all live happily ever after. This is to..." "This is to create a new generation of warriors to fight the next Time War" Missy finished for him, sinking onto the floor and clutching her head in her hands. They were going to force her to give birth to a child, clone it and brutally train the poor innocents to become warriors to fight their warped war. Suddenly, she couldn't breathe, it suddenly felt too hot for her. She started scratching at her arms and pulling at the night shirt, "no, no, no" she whispered into her knees as she scrunched up into a ball, wanting the ground to open up and swallow her right there. "They're going to do to these babies what they did to us. They're going to make them fight and torture them and make them insane" she whispered to the Doctor, voice getting quieter and quieter as she scrunched further into herself, he didn't hear her though. No one heard her, they were too caught up in the Doctor as he grew angrier and angrier. "Kate, I know this isn't your fault and its way out of your hands now but I need you to get off my Tardis and deal with your species while I try and deal with mine. I can assure you, your task will be infinitely easier." An uneasy silence fell, Kate nodded at the Doctor while Clara lowered herself down to Missy who had completely given up on trying to preserve her facade of strength.

"Doctor" the red cloud of anger that had surrounded him with Kate's revelations was just starting to clear and he could hear Clara's voice calling him. They had just dropped Kate off, back at UNIT HQ and he had decided they needed to drift for a while, to rest and formulate a plan. He hadn't been able to bring himself to look at Missy, he'd been vaguely aware of her breaking down but had seen Clara sitting with her. "Doctor, I need you over here." There was his Clara again, calling him back to reality. He turned around to face the two women. Clara, for her part, looked shocked. This was like nothing she'd ever seen before, and she thought she'd seen it all since she started travelling with the Doctor. Missy looked devastated, she'd gone a ghostly pale and was hunched into a ball, seemingly trying to make herself not exist. Clara was trying, to no avail, to get Missy to stand up and return to her seat on the sofa. It was a sorry sight and presumably the reason Clara needed his assistance.

He'd lost himself in his anger and realised that his first priority should be the two, well actually three, people that were in front of him. "Clara, I'm sorry, I got so caught up. Thank you for this, I'll take over from here. Could you do me a favour and go and get some medical supplies?" He supposed now was the best time to give her that check over he had meant to do earlier. The two Time Lords also needed some time to themselves. Clara nodded, rubbing his arm reassuringly and glancing one final concerned glance over to Missy before retreating to collect the required supplies. The Doctor turned his attention to his crumpled Mistress. Inhaling deeply, he walked over to Missy, lowering himself to her level and encompassing her tightly in his arms. "Oh Missy" he whispered as he gently lifted her onto her unsteady feet "come on, gently does it sweetheart, lets sit down over there. Much more comfortable than the cold floor." He waited for a reply, but none came. Brushing a stray curl from her tearstained face he continued his attempt "talk to me Missy. I know you tried to stay strong while they were here. I wish you had stayed in bed, this news is a shock to me and I can only imagine what its done to you." He was starting to ramble, he just wanted her to respond to him. "Come on now, what's going on in that mind of yours?" A few more seconds passed, the Doctor all the while trying to convince Missy to come out of her shell by stroking her hair gently. Eventually, a frail voice with a quiet determination emerged, "I want it out of me. I can't do this to a child, doom them to the same fate as me. The same fate as us."

The Doctor looked at her, not sure what to say. He didn't want a child raised just to fight in a pointless war. It was the same kind of senseless cruelty that he had run away from all those years ago. But, he couldn't kill a child. Especially not one that provided new hope for his species. Ethics aside, there were practical problems with an abortion. Time Lords don't reproduce in the same way as humans, the fact that Missy had become impregnated in a human way, a thought that's implications he didn't like to linger on, was already bad enough. Carrying out an abortion on her body was something that he didn't think her body would be able to endure. "Missy, we can't do that, and you know it as well as I do. Its a horrible situation, no denying it. But I've been hiding from the Time Lords a long time and we can carry on hiding and bring this child up safely. I know its a lot to take in, but its possible." He stopped, pausing to gauge her reaction. But no reaction came. The Doctor watched as her eyes glassed over and she wrapped her arms tight around herself. All he could do was place a comforting hand on the small of her back and wait in silence for Clara to return.


	8. Chapter eight

Clara had wanted a quiet night in with a bottle of red and the rubbish soaps. Between work and her life with the Doctor, she was exhausted. How then, she wondered, had she ended up in this situation? Dealing with one distressed Time Lord would have been bad enough, but dealing with two trumped that. And her species were partly to blame for this all. This was an awkward predicament. Clara didn't want to like Missy or feel bad for her, not after everything she knew she had done. But, seeing the Time Lady so broken, it was hard not to want to help. Besides, the Doctor seemed to trust Missy and clearly cared for her. If Clara knew anything, it was that she could trust the Doctor. A friend of his was a friend of hers, it would just take a little adapting to get used to viewing Missy as a friend. Walking back towards where she had left the two Time Lords, medical supplies in hand, Clara let her mind drift to the Doctor. He had been furious with Kate, so angry that he had scared Missy. And, truth be told, he had scared her as well. When she left, he had calmed down but still looked like a lost little boy. Clara knew from experience that it could only be the Time Lords that would cause this level of distress amongst both Missy and the Doctor. Clara had also read the files and seen the tapes that detailed in horrific agony everything that the UNIT faction had done to Missy. Clara would show them to the Doctor at some stage, but it wouldn't be tonight. Everyone of them aboard the Tardis needed calmness tonight and bringing the files and tapes to the Doctor's attention would not allow for tranquility. Opening the door and glancing at the Doctor and Missy on the sofa, Clara couldn't help but sigh at the sorry sight in front of her. For two beings that were centuries old, the pair looked so childlike in their fear. Missy's blue eyes had glazed over and she didn't look like she was aware of anything going on around her. The Doctor looked like he had the concerns of the universe resting on his shoulders. His face was full of fear, anger and worry. Clara could see he was trying his best to pull Missy out of her near catatonic state, gently stroking her hair and back. It surprised Clara, this incarnation of the Doctor wasn't known for being affectionate, yet with Missy he seemed almost at ease. Clara took in scene before her for a few more seconds. She felt guilty she was sure that both the Time Lords, when in their right minds, would have been mortified at anyone having witnessed such an intimate, vulnerable scene.

Clearing her throat, Clara stated "Doctor", aiming to get his attention. It only made Missy jump out of her skin and it was that that caught the attention of the Doctor. "Oh, I'm sorry Missy. I didn't mean to make you jump. It's just me, back again." This was a reversal, Clara making Missy jump. Missy didn't respond to Clara's apology, instead returned to silently staring at the wall ahead. The Doctor turned his attention to Clara, "it's not your fault Clara, she's a bit jumpy at the moment." Clara nodded, adding "I bought you down some supplies" lifting up the bag that was in her hand. "Ah excellent. Can I just have a word with you outside, Clara?" "Yeah, of course. What about...?" she nodded her head in the direction of Missy. The Doctor turned back to Missy, cupping her face and speaking gently "we're just heading outside for a minute Missy. You wait here, ok?" Neither Clara or the Doctor were surprised when there was no response.

Stepping into the corridor the Doctor was first to speak. "Thank you so much for everything you've done tonight Clara. I really appreciate it. This shouldn't be expected of you at all and if you want to leave, just say the word. But, well, I'd actually quite like you to stay." It had never even crossed her mind to want to leave, so she answered with complete sincerity "don't be soft, old man. I'm not going anywhere. You need me here. Is Missy going to be okay in there?" The Doctor smiled in relief before returning to a look of concern at the mention of Missy. "Good. These next few months are going to be a lot easier with you around. And yes, she will be okay for a minute but we're going to need to keep a close eye on her." The Doctor closed his eyes and Clara noted how tired he looked. It had been a long day for them all. "It's been a long day. I think we could all do with a rest" Clara offered, not really knowing what else to say. "I'd say" the Doctor laughed before continuing "but I have to check her over first, I've been trying to for hours. Now I know she's pregnant I think we may need to go to a hospital so someone that is actually qualified can have a look. But she doesn't like hospitals, won't trust any of them." "Okay, that's fine. We'll take this one step at a time. First of all, why don't you go and check her over for superficial injuries and then we'll deal with hospitals if and when it comes to it." Clara suggested, pleased when the Doctor nodded and began to look through the medical supplies. Pulling out a patch of something that didn't resemble any human medicine, he continued "oh and Clara, this isn't a first for Missy. Well, in these exact circumstances it is a first, but that's not what I mean. She's struggled with her sanity all her life. Since the Time War, though, it has gotten worse. Breakdowns are quite common and usually the result of her PTSD getting too much. I'm trying to limit the damage by keeping the tone light and mood calm. I've been there for everyone of her breakdowns, and she's been there for mine. I don't intend on not being there now. I hope you can understand." "Doctor, you don't need to explain yourself to me. She is one of your friends and you're her only friend. I understand. Now come on, I really don't like the idea of leaving her alone for this length of time. And I would have said that about her in normal circumstances."


	9. Chapter nine

The Doctor had calmed down considerably since his outburst. He knew he had scared Missy and worried Clara. Neither of those were things that he wanted to do. He also knew that he'd have to settle things with Kate soon enough. But, he had been relieved when Clara confirmed that she was happy to stay with him. Truth be told, he could really do with her being around. When Missy got like this, it was hard to not get dragged down with her, and two depressed Time Lords were no use at all. Clara was right when she said that Missy shouldn't have been left for that length of time, so he made his way back into the room with Clara following close behind. Keeping his tone light, he approached Missy "right no more distractions, time to get you checked over." He sighed when he received no response, although quite what he was expecting, he didn't know. Sitting down next to her, he felt guilty when her eyes widened upon seeing the medical bag.

Still she said nothing. Was she being particularly shy because of Clara's presence? He didn't think that was it, he wasn't even sure she was aware that Clara was there. But had to check so he set about trying to form a physic connection. Missy, please talk to me. I am so proud of what you've achieved so far. Coming here after everything that happened. In the past, you wouldn't have done that. A few seconds passed and he thought this attempt was just as pointless as his vocal attempts, then he heard her, her voice croaking with every word. "I'm too tired for telepathy, sorry. But you shouldn't be proud, I didn't come to you. They sent me, didn't they? If I had it my way, I'd be under a rock somewhere right now." The Doctor and Clara both looked at her, happy that she'd broken her silence but not so happy at what she'd said. One step at a time, the Doctor thought trying to think of a way to keep her talking. It was Clara that spoke first "that may be the case, but remember in the graveyard, when you begged for your friend back? That was all you, you'd have to be blind not to see that." Picking up on that the Doctor continued, "that's right, you asked and I should have listened. But you did exactly what I've always told you to do and now we're going to work through this at your own pace, ok?"

There was a silence, but Missy was maintaining eye contact now and appeared to be more present than she had been- that was a good thing. The Doctor looked at her, he could tell that she was about to speak and not wanting to put her off, sat waiting patiently. Eventually, his patience was rewarded and Missy began speaking in that weak voice that made the guilty feelings rise within him. "If you say so. Clara, you're still here? I thought you had gone back home." Clara looked suddenly unsure of herself, as though she really shouldn't have been there. "Yes, I'm still here... the Doctor asked if I'd stay but if you'd rather I left you two alone that's fine." The Doctor turned around to Clara with apologetic eyes, he didn't want Clara to leave but they had to take things at Missy's pace. "No, no it's not that dear. I'm glad you're still here. You'll be safe here. The Time Lords will know how long you've spent around us and you'll be of special interest to them." The Doctor hadn't thought of that, and was that Missy starting to show that she cared for Clara? "Crikey, you're full of affection tonight" Clara laughed, releasing a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding. She received no reply, though, instead Missy looked as though she was beginning to drift again.

Aware of this, the Doctor spoke up "That's right, Clara will be safer here and you know that you will be too, don't you?" He wanted her to feel safe when she was with him. If she felt comfortable, she would start to return to her slightly more stable persona sooner. At least, that's what he hoped. Missy looked at him, as though she was considering what he said, "mmm, well safer here than left alone on Skaro again, I suppose." Ouch. That dig hurt, he had to turn away briefly. When the Doctor turned away, Missy realised she had hit a nerve and, terrified at the prospect of him abandoning her again, quickly added "that was out of order. I'm sorry, shouldn't have said it." The Doctor looked back at her, feigning a smile "glad to see you've got some of the bite back. I should never have left you on Skaro, I'm sorry about that. But, no more delaying tactics now, I know your game. I am finally going to check you over."

"You had a look earlier, didn't you? At the bruises and cuts when you changed me into this nightgown" Missy said in a matter of fact way. "I mean, I presume it was you that changed me." The Doctor felt the colour rising in his cheeks, he hadn't done anything wrong but suddenly felt as though he had, "well, yes, it was me. I wanted you to have a decent sleep, not that it worked, and thought you would be more comfortable out of that flaming corset of yours." Both Missy and Clara smirked at the Doctor's boyish embarrassment, "I know that you silly boy. What I mean by it is that you've already seen that most of the injuries are superficial. Maybe a broken rib or two, but that's not as problematic for us Time Lords as it is for other species. Really, there is no need to waste your time."

The Doctor sighed. They were back to the acts of her false bravado and she didn't want anyone to check her over. He could see her hand hovering protectively over her abdomen. "Right, well we all know something a bit different now and we can't just ignore it." Missy nodded before adding "but what do you know about pregnancy? Especially human pregnancy?" The Doctor rolled his eyes, he knew she was right but wasn't about to let her know that. "About as much as you, I would imagine, but that's another reason to keep Clara around, eh?" Clara was a bit put out, she didn't know that much about pregnancy, but she had to concede, it was probably more than the other two. "um, well I know the basics, nine months, morning sickness, cravings." Clara offered, the look of disgust on Missy's face making her wish she hadn't mentioned any of it. "If Clara knows so much, why doesn't she check me over?" Missy poised the question almost petulantly. The Doctor was fiddling around with the contents of the bag, suddenly cottoning on to her delaying tactics and the possible reasons behind it "why don't you want me to touch you Missy? You don't need to be scared of me, I'd never hurt you." She looked at him with eyes that told him she believed him, "I know that, it's just...my body has changed a lot since the last time you saw me." The Doctor watched as she looked back over at Clara, before confessing in a half whisper, "I've gone back to some old habits I'm not proud of. You know, the awful things I do when it gets too much."

That was it. She didn't want him to see the scars she'd inflicted on her own body. "I saw them earlier, Missy. You don't need to be ashamed of them, I know it's your way of dealing with things when it gets too much. Not that I want you to deal with things that way and we're going to work together at healthier ways of dealing with it. Just like last time, yeah? For now, I have some cream that will help them heal faster. The rest of your injuries should heal on their own with rest." Pausing for a moment to gauge Missy's response, the Doctor reflected on the drastic change in her mood over the evening. While he was pleased she was no longer mute, he didn't like the rapid change in her moods in such a short amount of time. "Do you know how far into the pregnancy you are?" This led to a shake of the head followed by "I only remembered I was pregnant this evening. I know they wouldn't have let me go too early because of the risk of miscarriage. That happened with the earlier attempts." The Doctor looked at her and realised just how much she had been through. "Okay, we're going to need to go to a hospital at some stage so a real Doctor can look you over. But I'll be with you when we go." She physically recoiled from him at that, much as he'd expected, but she seemed to understand where he was coming from. "And" he added "since I am so proud of how you have handled things this evening, how about we go out tomorrow? Me, you and Clara. Maybe shopping? You need to get some clothes and things of your own here, after all." The Doctor did want to reward her bravery, but he also knew from past behaviour that it was best to get her out and about. If they stayed in, she would succumb to the dark thoughts. He didn't really expect her to be able to stay out long, but a little time out would do them all good. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe I could just stay here, read a book." "Oh come on Missy" Clara pressed realising the Doctor's angle, "some girly time, a spot of retail therapy. Sounds like fun to me." Missy threw her hands up in surrender, "fine, but I'm going to sleep now if you expect me to be capable of traipsing around the shops. And, I might not feel like it in the morning, anyway, but don't let it stop the two of you."

The Doctor sighed, "we'll see what tomorrow brings. Did you want to head back to my room for the night?" It was the room she had already settled in earlier and fitted with the old routine they fell into when she was like this. Missy looked up at him and nodded while stifling a yawn. "okay, I won't be far behind. Call me if you need me." "Yep, sure thing," she tried to come across casually, but he could see she was pleased that he would be with her during the night. "Night all" she bid with the flick of her hand and headed off to bed. "Night" Clara and the Doctor offered in unison, before turning to face each other to survey the evening's events. "Well, that was quite the turn around from where she was an hour ago. That's good, right?" Clara inquired, trying to remain optimistic. The Doctor ran his fingers through his silver curls, answering with a cryptic "yes and no" before adding "I'm glad she's talking and a little more with us but I don't like it when her moods change so suddenly." Clara nodded affirming "let's focus on the positives, shall we? She's talking to us and not quite as jumpy as she was. Do you really think she's going to be up to going out tomorrow, though?" "I don't think we'll be out long, but she needs to get out of the Tardis otherwise she won't leave for months. Plus, a day out will do us all good. Anyway, we'll deal with that tomorrow. Are you okay sleeping in your usual room?" Clara nodded, suddenly becoming aware of how tired she was, "yes, and in fact, I think I'm going to head there now if you don't mind. I'm knackered." The Doctor smiled, "I know the feeling. Sleep well, see you in the morning."

Collecting up his discarded medical kit and empty mugs of tea, the Doctor began making his way to the bedroom. Entering the bedroom he took his place next to a sleeping Missy in the bed. Given that she could only have been asleep ten minutes or so, he was surprised he didn't disturb her. She must have been exhausted. Pushing her hair out of her face, he planted a kiss on her forehead. Tentatively, he found himself feeling her lower abdomen, surprised when he could feel the tiniest bump. It was a bump that was barely visible when he wasn't aware of it but now played heavily on his conscience. How could he feel so protective and fearful of something at the same time? Looking over Missy a few more times, relieved that she was finally in his care, he eventually decided to try and get some sleep. The Doctor only found himself drifting in and out of sleep throughout the night, waking every time Missy squirmed or whimpered. He'd expected her to become unsettled, nightmares had always plagued them both and after the recent events he suspected she'd been experiencing more than usual. They fell into an uneasy pattern, she would wake whimpering or sometimes crying and he would console her until she returned to her slumber. It only lasted a few minutes each time, but seemed to last hours. The minutes dragging on in the way they only do during the twilight hours.


	10. Chapter ten

Laying in bed, Missy tried counting to ten. She felt nauseous and could feel the sickness rising up her insides. She had to suppress it though, she couldn't remember where the bathroom was and anyway she suspected that it had moved since she was last in the Tardis. So much else had changed, it made sense that the layout would have done too. She didn't want to wake the Doctor up, feeling guilty for all the times during the night that she had woken him up with her tossing and turning. It was no use, her deep breathing and steady counting was not stopping the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Was this the morning sickness Clara had been talking about? Scouring the room with her icy blue eyes, Missy willed herself to find something suitable in lieu of a toilet. Settling on the bowler hat resting on the back the door, she made a bolt for it, emptying the contents of her stomach. It's a good thing they were going shopping today, she owed the Doctor a new hat.

Leaning back against the foot of the bed, Missy allowed a sigh to fall from her lips as she mopped the sweat from her forehead. How had she forgotten that her last few days in captivity had started in much the same way. Time Lord technology, she guessed. Taking a few more deep breaths, she allowed mind to wander. Okay. Try and stay relatively sane today. No getting trapped in your mind. No selective mutism. No jumpiness. You're the Queen of Evil, now bloody well act like it.

After making an uneasy truce with her mind, Missy went about standing on her unsteady legs. Leaving the sick-filled bowler hat where it was, she made her way back to the bed. She was no longer tired, but thought she may as well go and lay down until the Doctor and Clara woke up. Turning around, however, she found the Doctor looking her up and down from underneath his caterpillar-esque eyebrows. Clearing her throat with a cough she set about on damage control, "how long have you been awake?" she enquired, hoping he hadn't heard her retching, "long enough to see you ruin my bowler hat. How are you feeling now?" She'd been busted and she felt a redness rising in her cheeks. "Sorry, I couldn't find the bathroom and I'd woken you up enough in the night so I wanted to let you sleep." He laughed, "now you choose to be considerate? I'd rather you'd have woken me up than ruin my hat." She looked back down at the hat, it wasn't a particularly nice hat, but she still felt guilty, "I'm sorry about that. I had to improvise, I'll get you a new one when we go shopping." He smiled at her, "don't apologise to me, that was Charlie Chaplin's hat. It's okay though, he owes me anyway." She didn't feel as guilty anymore, humans were annoying her even more than usual today. "I retract my apology in that case. Humans aren't in my good books today. The Doctor sighed, "I'll be sure to warn Clara. You never answered, how are you feeling?" Crawling back under the duvet and wrapping the Doctor's arm around her, Missy inhaled deeply "better now. I think that's what they call morning sickness. I remember now having it for the last few mornings. I'm starting to remember more now. I think they wiped parts of my memory before sending me here." The Doctor had been nodding as he listened, "I wonder if there's anything that could help ease the symptoms? We'll have a look today. That would make sense. Please talk to me if you start remembering more things and need to talk it out." She took it in and just nodded.

"So, where are we going to go today?" He ran his fingers through her hair, finding them catching in her curls. She never should have had long hair. This was half the reason she always tied it up, so long and curly and inconvenient. "There's that market on Vestuvia that I like. In the 31st century. Lots of independent stalls and coffee shops. I think you'll like it. So will Clara. "Mhmm" Missy offered, "sounds good to me." A few more moments passed and Missy broke the silence, "Doctor, you know that you said I could talk to you?" "yes, about anything at anytime." There was a long silence, "is there something you wanted to talk about, Missy?" She wanted to tell him she was scared, really scared now that she had started to remember more about her imprisonment. She couldn't, though. She'd already been too weak and she'd promised herself she'd be strong today. Closing her eyes and pulling his arm tighter around her explaining, "no, not right now I just wanted to check that you really meant it. Let's have a nice day today, yeah?" He sighed, knowing she wasn't telling the truth but accepting that she would talk to him in her own time. "We're going to have a great day. How long has it been since we last had a day out for fun? No plotting or scheming, just fun." She smiled, watching as he got out of bed and made his way over to the sick-laden bowler hat. "An eternity. Well feels like it anyway" she replied, before following him out of bed. "Give me that, I'll clean it up." she demanded, pointing at the bowler hat reminding her of her earlier embarrassment. "Don't be ridiculous, it might set you off again and neither of us want that" he laughed walking towards the door. "Come on, I'll show you around this new layout, so that this," he motioned to the offending hat, "doesn't happen again. Then we'll go and see if Clara's up. It's still early, you know what those humans are like with their lengthy sleeping habits."


	11. Chapter eleven

Arriving at the console room after a brief tour, the Doctor and Missy were surprised to find Clara, up and dressed, staring back at them. "Oh! You're awake. Didn't think you'd be up for another few hours" the Doctor remarked, Missy's face shadowing his surprise with the arch of an eyebrow. Clara thought that the pair of them looked like parents that had just found their teenager awake before 9am on a Saturday. "Yes, I'm awake. You two aren't as quiet as you think you are. Honestly, if you'd told me a few years ago I'd be woken up to a discussion between two Time Lords about Charlie Chaplin's hat, I'd have thought I'd gone mad." Missy just rolled her eyes, "oh well, maybe you are mad. Would make you more interesting. I've no time for your petty human complaints today." Clara laughed to herself, someone was feeling more like herself this morning. "Missy!" the Doctor warned, "sorry Clara we didn't mean to wake you up and someone's a bit grumpy this morning" he considered explaining that Missy had been thrown out of sorts by her bout of morning sickness but judging by the warning glance she threw his way, that wouldn't end well for him. "Don't worry about it. Now we're all up, are you ready to head out? Make a proper day out of it and get some breakfast?" "That sounds good. I was thinking of going to a 31st century Vestuvian market for shopping. Where do you fancy going for breakfast? Oh how about the past? Edwardian London?" The two women laughed at his enthusiasm, "seems like you've already made your mind up, dear. I'm just going to finish getting ready." Missy said as she made her way back towards the bedroom. She was more nervous about leaving the Tardis than she had intended to be and wanted a bit of time alone to compose herself. Maybe, given how nervous she really was, she could treat herself with a little bit of chaos. Not destroying a planet or anything, but maybe one or two murders. Or maybe not murders. The Doctor did object to killing and he had been pretty good to her throughout this ordeal. Maybe she could just pick up a slave for the day. Yes, that would work. Well, a girl has to get her kicks somehow and what better way to take her mind off things than enslaving someone? Plus it wouldn't be all that different from when the Doctor collects his little human followers. From what she remembered about Vestuvia, its inhabitants were very accommodating. They wanted to please their guests, so really, she was doing them all a favour. Yes a teeny, tiny plot would work nicely to get her mind off things.

As Missy walked out of the console room, the Doctor's concerned eyes followed her. She looked nervous, but she also looked like she was up to something. Never a good combination, he didn't want a repeat of her charades on Skaro. While lost in his thoughts, Clara approached him "so how are you feeling?" He looked up at her, surprised. In truth, he hadn't had much time to process the situation. "Oh, you know. Just trying to take it all in. I still haven't formulated a plan. I know we can't ignore the situation forever but we can have a nice day today, eh?" he replied, raising his eyebrows at her. Clara responded with a smile, "yeah of course. How was Missy last night?" He sighed, "well she had a terrible night last night. Woke up crying and screaming several times. Then this morning she was woken up by morning sickness. Your species' pregnancy process does seem particularly sadistic, I must say. And now, well now, she seems to want to take on the universe and pretend nothing is wrong." Clara nodded empathetically, "well, the unsettled night was to be expected. Did you manage to get much sleep? Hopefully she'll become more settled in the coming weeks. I must say, I've never heard a good thing about pregnancy. Maybe it's her way of trying to regain some control? She's not exactly one for vulnerability and she's probably embarrassed after last night." The Doctor smiled at Clara, "I don't need that much sleep, you know that, but I was able to nap. Right, I'm going to get us going. Should be at a lovely Edwardian cafe, just off of Marble Arch in no time." Clara beamed up at him, even though she knew there was so much they still had to sort out, she couldn't resist getting excited about their latest trip. "Sounds great. It's going to be a tough time for a while but we've all got eachother. We'll make today a really good day. We all deserve it. While you get us going, I'll go and have a quick word with Missy." The Doctor nodded in agreement before warning, "don't take offense if she snaps at you. Her bark is worse than her bite. For the most part, anyway."

Walking down the hallway, Clara composed her self before knocking lightly on the door. "Oh bloody hell, I just want five minutes to finish getting ready. I'm not doing anything to your beloved tardis, Doctor." Clara coughed, clearing her throat "actually Missy, it's me, Clara." A few seconds passed and Clara could hear Missy approaching the door, a few more seconds later and Missy was stood leaning against the door frame glaring at Clara with a look of complete disdain. "Didn't the Doctor warn you? I'm in no mood for humans today, so do yourself a favour and stay out of my way." Clara gulped slightly. It really was a roller coaster with Missy. Still, she wasn't going to give up. "Look, I just wanted to check how you're doing?" She considered telling her that she knew she'd had a bad night's sleep but she didn't want to betray the Doctor. When she got no response from her, she continued "you know you once likened me to a puppy, while I don't completely agree that I'm a puppy, I could see why I would be considered one in comparison to you and the Doctor." Clara paused, biting her tongue, she hated comparing herself to a puppy but she did have a plan and, judging by Missy's look of interest, her plan was starting to work. "anyway, what I'm trying to say is that a lot of humans talk to their pets about things they wouldn't talk to anyone else about. They know that the pets won't tell anyone and they're not keeping everything to themselves." Missy rolled her eyes, "yes well their tiny brains probably can't comprehend whatever mundane problems you apes have. Are you trying to tell me that I can talk to you like you're my puppy?" Missy approached Clara, prowling like a predator approaching its prey. "What a pretty little puppy you are" Missy complimented, patting her head patronisingly. "I'll keep it in mind, poppet. In the meantime, would you like me to rub your tummy?" She winked, walking past Clara in the doorway. "Now come on Lassie, we should be set to arrive in 1907 anytime now" Missy called before cackling and skipping down the corridor. What was it the Doctor said about stabilising Missy's moods? This can't be good Clara thought, although she did like to think that she had reassured Missy that she was there for her. Even if it had led to a new nickname.

The Doctor's mobile phone hadn't stopped ringing and buzzing. He'd been doing his best to ignore it- he knew it would be Kate but curiosity had got the better of him. Opening up the message, his suspicions were confirmed. "Doctor, we need you on Earth. This situation has to be dealt with, you can't run away from this." One day, he thought. I want one nice day before having to face this. Sliding his phone into his pocket, he could hear Missy charging down the corridor, her high pitched laugh echoing off the walls. So it was going to be one of those days, he thought to himself. "Doctooor" another breathy laugh "Doctooor", emerging into the console room with a broad grin and manic eyes Missy continued "I have a new nickname for our Clara" the Doctor sighed, she looked stable enough physically that he would be able humour this conversation. "She's not our anything, but, go on then, what's Clara's new nickname?" Her smile broadened and she looked as though she was about to tell the funniest joke "She's our Lassie". Clara, by this stage had joined them and shot the Doctor a look as if to say don't ask. "I know that we both sound Scottish in these incarnations, Missy, but you do realise that neither of us are actually from Glasgow?" Missy rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion "I know that, stupid. I mean like Lassie, that super dog that's in all the films. She even agreed to be my puppy!" The Doctor's eyes shot up to Clara as she began "well that's not exactly- do you know what, never mind" and gave the Doctor a nod to say she'd explain it all later.

The Doctor walked over to the Tardis door, "right, well I'm glad that's all cleared up. Now, we should be about to enter Edwardian London, if my calculations were correct. Missy's grin widened, "well that's a very big if, remember what I said about trusting men when they're on about vehicles?" Clara stifled a laugh, prompting a glance of disgust from the Doctor. "Yes, well anyway, Edwardian London does have a certain social decorum. So do try and act accordingly, Missy." She rolled her eyes and walking around to stand by the Doctor's side, whispering into his ear, "oh you know me Doctor. I'm the epitome of ladylike poise and grace." Taking Missy's hand he continued, "we'll see. Just promise me you'll behave? and don't over exert yourself. If you feel unwell or want to go back to the Tardis, tell me." Missy nodded, "yes, yes, I will. But I've told you, I'm not your damsel and I'm not feeling completely insane today- just a healthy dose of moderate madness." The Doctor pushed the Tardis door open, "all the same, just let us know. But, come on ladies, time for breakfast.


	12. Chapter twelve

"five, six, seven" the Doctor finished counting out the sugars into his teacup and stirring it in, "so how are your breakfasts? All good?" He'd been quite pleased with how the morning was going, conversation had flowed quite easily and they were all getting on well. They were becoming a strange little family of sorts, a concept that none of them had had for a long time. It was nothing short of a miracle, really. He just wished his phone would stop buzzing. It had been going off all morning, always the same person- Kate. She had left several voicemails but he had listened to none of them. "Mine's good. Great way to start the day. This pastry is delicious" Clara enthused, licking the last of the powdered sugar flakes off of her fingers. "Yes, it's perfectly agreeable for earth food" Missy offered, narrowed eyes never leaving the vibrating phone. "You know Doctor, even by your standards, leaving a mobile phone in plain sight in 1907 is pretty stupid." Taking a sip of her tea (the Doctor and Clara had insisted she had tea rather than coffee), Missy continued "what I want to know is, if I'm here and Lassie's here, who is calling you?"

Clara gave the Doctor a knowing glance. She'd had the same phone calls from Kate, as well as a few warning texts from Osgood. She had had the good sense to leave her phone on the Tardis though. They had both agreed, that was her and the Doctor, that they wouldn't tell Missy about UNIT's calls. Not until they had to anyway. They weren't sure how she would react and didn't think she was ready to face up to everything just yet. "You know, I'm actually very popular. Could be anyone, but today is about us three. No interruptions. The beauty of a time machine is that if it is anything too serious I can go back to it as and when." The Doctor explained, mildly offended at the accusation of his unpopularity but more concerned with coming up with a convincing lie to distract Missy. "But you're right" he continued "if we're going to have a relaxing day, I shall put the phone away. I never liked the bloody thing anyway. The curse of your generation is this, Clara" he nodded in her direction as he turned it off and slid it in his pocket. Clara simply gave him a look usually reserved for a senile great-uncle at family reunions.

Missy didn't believe any of it. It was Kate that had been calling. She knew UNIT would be going spare, they didn't know how to deal with the rebel UNIT faction and they definitely didn't know what to do about the risk posed by the Time Lords. She was quite happy to feign ignorance though, she was in no hurry to face up to the severity of the situation. In fact, she had surprised herself with how well ignoring everything had been going today. She wasn't foolish enough to think that it would last. There were already things that were starting to concern her. She'd had a numb headache most of the morning, and while at first she had dismissed it as another pregnancy symptom, the voices that had started to whisper in her mind made her think it was something more. She had heard voices in her head before many times, of course, but there was something about this particular voice. She was convinced it was Rassilon. It could have been, or it could have been a memory she didn't know. Usually, when the voices started, there wasn't anyone there to distract her. She had to listen to them ricocheting off every corner of her mind. This time, though, she had been able to banish them- Clara and the Doctor were both welcome distractions. Yes, at the moment, those voices were under control.

Placing her hand protectively over her stomach (she hadn't really been able to move it far away, if she was honest, and she knew that the Doctor had noticed), her mind moved onto the next issue. If UNIT were truly desperate to get hold of the Doctor, they would have the means to do so. Probably some kind of intergalactic detention order. They'd be okay here, for now, but wherever they landed next they would be recognised and turned over to UNIT. The Doctor was so desperate to make it a nice day for all of them that he wouldn't have thought of that, she was sure. "I think we should stick here. It's nice" Missy spoke abruptly, taking the table, that had been unaware of her train of thought, by surprise. "Don't you want to go to the Vestuvian market?" the Doctor questioned, surprised that she would choose Earth over anywhere else. Missy wanted to oblige him his exciting day out, no point in worrying him over the detention order that she was certain would be in place by now. "I'm more tired than I thought I would be" it wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a complete lie either. "You have clothes on the Tardis that I can use. How about we have a peaceful amble, Clara can do some more gawping and then we head back?"

The Doctor looked over her, studying her with a concerned glance. He was looking for a sign that she was about to break or shutdown or do something generally disruptive. Eventually seeming content that she wasn't on the verge of a relapse, he nodded. "Okay, if you're sure. Do you mind Clara?" Missy rolled her eyes, "you've given the girl time travel, I think she'll be fine. Don't spoil the humans, honey." He gave her a warning look, it wasn't as harsh as warnings she'd previously received from this face but it was warning all the same. It made Missy smirk, if she was able to incite a little concern, rather than pity, then she still had some control. "It's fine, Doctor. There's a park down there, why don't we go for a walk and then head back to the Tardis?" Clara suggested. The Doctor looked mildly disappointed. It wasn't so much that he wouldn't get to explore the Vestuvian market (although he was slightly disappointed to miss out), more the fact that the inevitable conversation with Kate would probably happen sooner now. "Well if you're sure that's what you want, I guess thats fine."

"Yes, I'm sure" Missy replied sharply, motioning to the waiter that they had finished with their meals. "Now, tell me, are you paying for this are are we just going to-" she started, an air of mischief about her as she reached into her pocket to retrieve her device, "Yes, I'm paying. I don't know what your alternatives would be, I dread to think. Something illegal, no doubt" he mumbled off, passing over some money to the smartly dressed waiter who, clearly smitten with Clara, was ignoring their conversation. Probably for the best, the Doctor thought, it could only be a matter of time before one of them said something incriminating or Missy became trigger happy. "Thank you sir, have a nice day" the waiter bid with a cockney twang, when he had finally pried his eyes off of Clara. Missy watched the scene with mild amusement before commenting, "he's nice dear, but remember his old enough to be your great-grandfather in your timeline. Cross-era dating might get a bit complicated." Clara looked at her before remarking "Do you think a little bit of complicated ever scared me off? Even so, can't hurt to look." The Doctor scowled at the two of them, "right, come on we're going."


	13. Chapter thirteen

It was an unusually busy morning at UNIT HQ. It was about 7.30am and all the staff had been called in for an emergency meeting. At present, there were about fifty staff members, all of varied ages and ranks gathered in the large conference room awaiting the arrival of Kate Stewart. In the far corner of the room, a group of about ten extremely young, nervous looking interns and new graduates were exchanging their theories on what they thought the meeting was about. "I heard Kate's going to resign" whispered one pale young man to the blonde girl at his side. "Well, I heard it was to do with the Doctor. I even heard that the Master was back again" responded a slightly older, suit-clad woman who stammered despite herself at the mention of the Master.

Osgood, pushing her glasses higher up her nose, sighed at the scene in front of her. It didn't seem that long ago that it was her that was the newbie. Smiling slightly to herself at the memory, she walked over to the group "May I suggest that you keep the gossiping to the minimum. Kate will be here in a minute and all will be revealed. Instead, maybe you should familiarise yourself with these notes" Osgood stated, an air of authority in her tone that she wouldn't have had even a year ago, as she passed each of the newly-silenced employees a brown manila file. "There's information in there about the rebel UNIT off-shoot, that you should all be aware of. There are also profiles on the Doctor, the Mistress- formerly the Master- and the Time War. There's enough information in there, I should think, to stop your idle gossiping." Osgood added, before turning and leaving the room to find her boss and discover when they would be able to start the meeting.

"Osgood, any luck reaching Clara? All I'm getting is the Doctor's voicemail." Kate called out as she saw the young scientist leave the meeting room. "ah, I was just coming to find you. No, voicemail too. But I did text her and received a response. The Doctor's doing what he does- running. Apparently he'll be in contact when they've had their day out." Kate sighed, leaning against the wall. "He can't run from this. Okay, we'll keep trying to contact him. Will you get the legal department to issue an intergalactic warrant for the three of them. They'll have Missy and the Doctor's details, I'm sure, and Clara won't be far from them anyway." Osgood looked at her, nodding at her request and listening once more as Kate began to speak, "for now, we'll focus on the rebel faction. The army is currently on standby to storm their bases. Hopefully we'll be able to detain the leaders and open up communications with them. How's the mood in there?" Kate asked, motioning towards the door to the meeting room. "The rumours are flying around but I've left them all with the relevant files. I think they think that it's another of the Master's plans." Kate sighed, "Rumours are inevitable. I wish it was another of the Master's plans, at least we have experience with those and it's usual . Although, I think we should quash those rumours fast. Missy's in a bad way and the Doctor's protective. Scottish, angry and protective. I can handle his wrath, but don't think a spotty intern is quite ready for it. No matter how many debates they've won at Oxbridge." Osgood laughed, although struggled to imagine Missy in a bad way. In truth, she still had nightmares about their encounter on board the plane and couldn't imagine Missy as anything other than an unhinged psychopath. "Okay, well shall we get this meeting underway then?" Osgood suggested, there's a lot to do so we best crack on with it. With that, the two women walked into the meeting room to address the awaiting staff.

"So we are currently trying to contact the Doctor with the hope that he will be arriving this afternoon. We have an army division that are trying to infiltrate one of the faction's bases. A word of warning concerning the Master, yes she is a mass murdering criminal but, on this occasion, I have been assured that she is on our side. That being said, please apply the strongest caution in any dealings you have with her. If you feel at any stage that your lives are at risk, act accordingly." Kate had been briefing the staff, updating them on what they did and didn't know for the past twenty minutes and it had gone quite well. The situation had shocked a few of the newbies but she could see that it had equally excited them- their first taste of a proper mission. "If nobody has any questions, what I'd like you to spend the morning doing is familiarising yourselves with the folders Osgood have you earlier. If you could also look over the correspondence that we have had with the off-shoot that would be great. It's going to be a long day guys, don't be expecting to go home tonight."

The headquarters had burst into life and everyone was busy with their own tasks. Kate had tried numerous times to contact the Doctor, to no avail. She was trying her best to remain patient with him. This had been an awful shock for him and she knew that the Time War and Time Lords led to the resurfacing of terrible memories for both the Doctor and Missy. It was about midday when her phone started buzzing, hoping it was the Doctor, Kate answered instantly. "Stewart speaking" Kate answered professionally, attempting not to sound desperate to hear the Doctor's voice. "Ma'm, we have news concerning this morning's raid. It was successful and we have detained targets one and two." It wasn't the Doctor, of course. But it was the army general with what sounded like promising news. That was enough to lift Kate's mood a little, "excellent, thank you for the update General. Bring them down to the base and we will commence interviews this afternoon. Make sure you collect up any weapons and documents on site" she ordered.

Only half an hour later, although it had been an excruciatingly long half an hour, Kate found herself in an interview room with a man that identified himself as the leader of the rebel faction. Kate recognised the man, she had been the one to train him when he was first recruited to UNIT. Gordon Reaves, he'd had an odd sort of charm about him and a rugged handsomeness. Yes, with his dark curls and equally dark eyes, he'd proved quite popular amongst UNIT's female employees. In fact, if she'd been ten years younger, Kate could have seen herself falling for his charms. But, despite his external suave appearance, there was always something slightly darker about him. Reaves was always ambitious and a good leader, he had expressed concern with the dependence that UNIT placed on the Doctor to protect Earth. Kate had always managed to placate him in the past, but in recent years, she had found herself more inclined towards his point of view. The Doctor, while one of her friends, had been becoming more and more complacent. When Gordon had come to her with the plan of creating a stronger defense against enemy attacks by learning from some of Earth's greatest enemies, she had jumped at the idea. In hindsight, of course, she regretted the decision. A man like Reaves would quickly grow power hungry and become even more susceptible to extremism. What she couldn't understand, however, was the Time Lords' interest in this faction? But, she couldn't get too caught up in that, the Doctor had promised he would deal with his species. Oh yes, the Doctor, who was really needed at this exact moment. All Gordon had said in the past, excruciatingly long, half an hour, was that he wouldn't talk until the Doctor arrived. And then proceeded to mockingly ask her if he was still as complacent as he used to be.

Kate sighed, rubbing her forehead as she felt her muscles tensing, startling slightly when she heard her phone ring. Lifting it out of her pocket, she let out a breath of relief when she read the Doctor's name on her phone screen.


	14. Chapter fourteen

The wind was cool as they walked through the park. It wasn't cool enough to make it cold, just cool enough to bring a shade of pink to the cheeks and invigorate their lungs as they strolled along. "There are a few street vendors down there" Clara observed, smiling as the spring sun warmed her face, "seen as though we're not going to that future-market place, why don't we head down there?" Missy had been starting to feel unwell. The cool air, that had at first been invigorating, had caught in her lungs and pained her broken ribs that were healing much slower than she had hoped. It had caused her to pale and slow down about five minutes earlier. The Doctor, dutiful as ever, had been at her side not a second later. "Are you okay?" he asked, voice laced with a concern he wasn't able to hide. He knew, despite her best attempts to prove otherwise, that she still wasn't well. If something happened because he'd forced her to come out today, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. She batted him away, "indigestion" she lied. "Why do humans insist on eating such stodgy food? I just need to slow down a bit." The Doctor nodded, although they both knew he didn't believe her. Looping his arm through hers and slowing to her pace, "okay" he said, "tell me if you need to stop." And so they had fallen into a steady, slower pace with Clara walking ahead of them looking around at everything.

Not for the first time today, they looked like an odd little family. When Clara had mentioned the market, Missy had looked down the steps that led to the stalls. They were a steep and crooked set of steps leading down to the riverbank of the Thames that was lined with little, temporary stalls. She wanted to go down and explore and she could tell by the Doctor's expression that he wanted to as well. But the pain in her ribs and the dull ache in her head, that had been getting worse all morning, told her that she wouldn't be able to make it down there. The bench opposite the pathway looked much more appealing. "I think I'll pass, Clara. Never much worth seeing on Earth markets." The Doctor eyed her, knowing it was an act of self-preservation. She didn't feel strong enough to go all the way down there. He sighed. He was really hoping that this little escapade would be a way ignoring the situation but as the day went on, it was becoming abundantly clear that it wasn't working. "I can see you two want to go though. Go on, just don't let the Doctor pick up anymore pets. You're quite enough of a handful, dear. I'll wait over there." Missy motioned to the bench. Clara looked to the Doctor who, in turn, looked at Missy, "Will you be okay on your own?" He was slightly worried that she might attempt some new plot but, looking at the state of her, he realised that was highly unlikely. She threw him a warning glance "I'm a big girl" she said, before flicking them away like flies "now go, before I change my mind." They watched her settle down on the bench before heading down to the market stalls.

As soon as Missy had been out of earshot, the Doctor said to Clara "she's getting worse. I'll come down here for a quick look then go back up and sit with her. You stay as long as you want. Would you be able to pick up some clothes for her, if you find a clothing stall? I'd rather she had some things of her own." Clara nodded, "sure, no problem. Did you want to head back now, if she's not well?" The Doctor shook his head. "We're going to have to go and deal with all of this when this trip is over. I'm not quite ready for it to be over." They both paused, falling into a pensive silence. "Oh, those clothes, can you make them loose fitting. Not any of those bloody corset things, she needs to be comfortable. Women inflate during human pregnancy don't they?" Clara laughed. If she didn't know the Doctor, she'd have thought he was joking. "You think she's going to let you choose her clothes? Although once the baby starts growing, and yes she starts inflating, as you put it, I imagine she'll want out of those corsets" added Clara, her voice suddenly more serious with a hint of sadness as she too remembered the troubles ahead of them. "Have you got enough money? In the correct currency? Don't go giving them one of the new £20 notes. I made that mistake once. Considering how much time I spend on earth, I'm always pretty complacent with money." Clara laughed, responding "yes, well some of us don't have the luxury of being complacent with money." Quickly glancing into her purse, she confirmed that she did have the correct currency and waved the evidence under his nose.

Missy watched the two of them bound down the stairs. She felt rotten. She didn't think she had ever felt this bad in all her time. Perhaps the worst feeling, was the guilt that was eating away at her. It wasn't an emotion with which she was accustomed. The two of them could be carefree, gallivanting across the universe, getting into mischief and returning to the Tardis for their next adventure if it wasn't for her. Instead she had landed in on their lives, bringing with her chaos and pain and threats. Ordinarily, she would revel in bringing such chaos into his life. She would love the attention she was receiving from him and take great pleasure in the impending enemy attacks. But this wasn't a game, this was a war. No, that's not true. All war, in any form, is a game. Men- overgrown boys really- playing with tanks and soldiers and nukes. This just wasn't a game on her terms. It wasn't the type of game her and Theta played, always trying to get one up on each other. She had no control in this and neither did he. She was being used as a pawn. She had been before, of course. They'd sculpted her into a machine to fight. That was awful. The burning, the fighting, the dying, regenerating and doing it all over again. Then she committed the crimes. The genocides. The murders. They declared her a mad criminal, the Time Lords, but what did they expect from her? They created her. She couldn't have normal fun, healthy fun. All she'd ever known was pain and war. How could she be expected to create anything different? That's when they had tortured her. That was even more awful. The torture.

Her mind was wandering, "stop it" she scolded herself vocally, receiving odd stares from the well-dressed gentlemen walking by. She poked her tongue out, before shouting after them "sorry, lovelies, I'm bananas. Just ignore me." And she was bananas, she thought to herself. Completely. The headache was getting worse, spreading throughout her skull and making her feel dizzy. She was seeing two of everything. Scrunching her eyes shut and cradling her head in her hands, she could hear the voices. Most of them were just whispers, but there was one that stood out. It was callous and undeniably belonged to him. It was real, too. Not a by-product of her insanity but his actual voice inside her head. Rassilon was inside her head. "Hello, Mistress. Our plans going well, isn't it? You must be blood thirsty for the next war. It's going to be spectacular." It was all jumbling. Her thoughts. Everything. She felt sick. "How are you here? It's not our plan. I'm not your weapon. I'm not your toy" she replied aloud, spite lacing her voice. She was met with silence. Maybe she was imagining it. Raising her head from her hands, she stared back down at the market. Blearily, she tries to blink away the headache. It was no use, the dull ache is throbbing behind her eyes. She tries to focus ahead. Clara and the Doctor could no longer be seen. She imagines them walking among the bustle of people. She hopes they're having fun. Not having to look back at her, checking she's not having a funny turn. Then the panic builds. The paranoia seeps in. What if they aren't coming back? They've left her here. No, that doesn't make sense. The Doctor had asked her if she was sure she'd be alright alone. He had barely stopped cautiously looking over her all day, checking that she wasn't about to break. Those definitely weren't the actions of a man about to abandon her. He'd abandoned her many times before, but never when she was in this state. She was being stupid. She had promised to try and be sane today.

How had she reached this point? She'd been left alone for a start. Her mind had turned on her, she was feeling rotten- that was it. That was where her thoughts had begun. Then Rassilon in her head. He was there, really there, she was sure of it. Ow, but her head was getting worse. She scrunched her eyes again and put her head back in her hands. She probably looked like a drunk. Not very ladylike and not very appropriate for Edwardian London. She probably looked more like a down and out than a lady of high society. She didn't care. It helped a little, to hide her face in her hands, the sun was too bright. If she stayed this way, she could block out some of the pain. She could stay like this until they came back. She hoped it was soon. She didn't like herself when she was left alone.


	15. Chapter fifteen

The Doctor was looking out over the river, watching some boats glide along. Clara had half-skipped off into the market and he was pleased to see her enjoying herself. She was nothing to do with any of this, yet she had chosen to stay. She deserved to enjoy the day and seeing her continued amazement at their travels in time and space reinforced his own passion for it. His mind quickly wondered back to Missy, she was deteriorating. Hardly surprising given the events yesterday and the circumstances that brought her to him. Maybe he shouldn't have been so ambitious with the day. With a sigh, he realised the time to face reality was upon them. A quick look at his surroundings and the individuals idly browsing the stalls confirmed no one was actually looking at him. Humans never were good at paying attention. The things they'd notice if they stopped and actually looked, he mused. Pulling out his phone, he tapped out a text to Kate. "Kate, sorry I haven't been in contact. We needed a break. We need to talk about this, I know. I'll call you when we're back on the Tardis." That would suffice, he thought. For now, he should probably check on Missy.

Clara had been enjoying browsing the different stalls. It wasn't a particularly spectacular market and Clara doubted that she would be able to find any kind of clothes for Missy, like the Doctor had asked. She wasn't too bothered about that though, there were bound to be some clothes in the Tardis. It wasn't really about the clothes, it was about the Doctor trying to do something practical to help. Soon enough, the Doctor would be too preoccupied with some other attempt at helping to notice the lack of new clothes. So deciding to forget about looking at clothes, she found herself browsing a jewelry stall. The stall was adorned with precious gems and trinket bracelets that shone in the low sun and caught Clara's eye. Distracted by the plethora of different items, she was unaware of two people in the shadows watching her intently. One was a small woman with long dark hair, the other was a slightly taller man dressed in an expensive looking suit that didn't quite manage to hide his working class roots. For all intents and purposes, the pair looked very much a young couple. Despite the shadows hiding their faces, it was clear that the pair were deeply in love.

It was also clear that it was the young woman was the one in charge. "That's her, that's definitely Clara Oswald" determined the smaller of the two figures "and you're sure you saw them with the Doctor and the Master at breakfast this morning?" "Yes. I'm certain about it. They were bickering over payment methods" responded the man. "Sounds about right. Okay, here's the packet I want you to give to her- make sure she knows to give it to the Doctor. You know what you're telling her?" Nodding, he asked "I still don't understand why you can't do it. You've met them all." The young looking woman rolled her eyes at him "that's exactly why. She would recognise me and I've made some questionable decisions. I want her to know that we're on their side." The man looked down at her, sighing but relenting. "Okay, I'll do my best. But one day, you're going to have to tell me about those questionable decisions." Laughing, the woman stated "all in good time, love. We do have eternity."

"Excuse me, ma'am?" the familiar cockney twang had Clara turning on her heal as she finished paying for some of her shopping. It was a welcome interruption as Clara always found herself forgetting that money spent in the past, future or another planet was still real money. And she was still on a teacher's salary. Tucking away her change and collecting up her bags she responded to the welcome interruption, "oh hello, you're the waiter from earlier aren't you?" The waiter nodded, holding out his hand in greeting "please call me Henry. Now, I needed to speak to you about something. I realised it when you were there at breakfast and haven't been able to stop thinking about it since." Clara shirked away from him, convinced he was trying to make a pass at her. She was flattered, of course, but remembered Missy's words of warning- timelines, great grandfather, not worth the hassle. "Ah okay. Look, I'm flattered, you're a very handsome chap. But I'm not from around here, just visiting." Henry smiled down at Clara, "well thank you, but I'm spoken for. What I actually wanted to speak to you about was the Doctor. That's who you were at breakfast with wasn't it?" Clara nodded, reddening slightly at her mistake, she wished that this was the first time that a man had been more interested in the Doctor than her. "And the other woman, that was the Master wasn't it?' So now she was going to have two Time Lords to compete with for attention. "Yes, she goes by Missy these days. Who are you?" Clara asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "I'm a travel companion of an old friend of the Doctor's. We know your situation- the UNIT faction, the Time Lords and everything they're planning. I have some information for the Doctor and I need you to give it to him." Clara's eyes widened again, possibilities about who the old friend could be whirling around her mind. "Information?" Clara asked, curiosity getting the better of her, "what kind of information? How do I know I can trust you? Why didn't you just give the information to the Doctor when you saw him earlier?" "So many questions and rightly so but you can trust me. Look, let's go and sit over there away from the crowds. You never know who's listening." The pair sat down a short walk from the main market and Henry quickly resumed their conversation "I have this envelope, you need to give it to the Doctor" he directed as he handed over a small brown envelope. "I couldn't give it to him earlier because I didn't know if he'd trust me. He's in the denial stage at the moment, isn't he? Doubt he wants to hear anything about the Time Lords." Clara nodded sadly, "yes, you're right there. It's a small envelope." "It's bigger on the inside" Henry answered as if it were the most obvious explanation in then world. "Should have guessed" conceded Clara. "What's inside it anyway?" Henry looked up at her, unsure whether he was allowed to divulge such information. Taking a guess that he could trust her, she was one of the Doctor's closest friends. "It contains information on Rassilon's plan. We know that he has some way of tracking Missy's location. Seen as though the Doctor shows no intention of leaving her side anytime soon, it means that the Doctor's location can also be tracked. We don't know exactly how they are managing to track her, it's Time Lord technology and the information is written in Gallifreyan. We do know that it will be used to get them both back to Gallifrey before the child is born. It will ensure the creation of this new army they're so desperate to build. We're trying to find a way to counter it, but need help from your two Time Lords. Gallifreyan technology is intricate and we can't figure it out on our own." "Okay" Clara began "but who is this 'we' you talk about?" "A friend. It will all become clear soon enough. I need to go now but promise me you'll give this envelope to the Doctor. Also, keep an eye on Missy. Any strange behaviour could indicate how the tracking device is working." Clara looked down at the envelope, turning it over in her hands "I'll give it to him and I'll keep a look out for any odd behaviour. Will I see you or that friend again?" "You'll see me again very soon. Take care, Clara" Henry bid before heading back to the watching figure.

The Doctor made it up about halfway up the stairs when he saw Missy. He decided to silently observe for a few minutes, laughing when she poked her tongue out at the two men. When she buried her head in her hands, he resisted the urge to run up to her. Maybe she was just trying to calm herself, taking a moment to relax. He held back, until he saw her become more distressed. It was time get her back to the Tardis. Calmly walking up to her he began to call her name "Missy?" No answer, but she did lift her head. She looked dazed and pained. "What's wrong?" he pressed, she looked straight ahead narrowing her eyes as though she was trying to focus on him, "my head hurts" she replied eventually before returning to cradling her head in her hands. He believed her, she looked like hell. He sent out a signal to the Tardis and she began to materialise almost instantly. "Come on let's get inside and go and pick Clara up. Time to go, I think." He eased her up slowly. "It really hurts. It won't go away. There's two of you. Two of you, what a scary thought" she mumbled, swaying as they walked the short distance to the Tardis. "Terrifying" he agreed. "Come on now, slowly does it. What kind of pain is it, Missy?" He asked when they entered the Tardis, growing more concerned. He sat her down, placing his fingers against her temples, he wanted desperately to alleviate some of her pain. Brushing his mind against hers, he felt the pain immediately and had to back away. "It hurts. It really hurts." She continued to mumble, cradling her head in her hands, eyes still closed.

The light was hurting her, he thought, dimming the lights. He'd felt her pain. It was blinding, there were voices too. One voice stood out but he couldn't quite place it and quickly put it down to trauma, one of her bad memories that hung around waiting for her to be vulnerable. It wouldn't have been the first time she heard voices that weren't there. He wanted to take away her pain but couldn't form a mental connection without feeling the debilitating pain himself. He pulled her head into his lap, massaging his fingers into her scalp and stroking her hair, that was starting to come loose, soothingly. Not really knowing if it would help, but not knowing what else to do. It seemed to help a little, as he felt the thumping under his fingertips settle down. "Any better?" he asked, watching her shift, a little uncomfortably, out of his lap and into a seated position. Her eyes narrowed as she focused her vision, " a little. It's pathetic, I'm falling apart. Did you hear them?" The Doctor looked at her, was this the drums? Did they still taunt her in this incarnation? He'd never found the right time to ask her about them. "Hear what? Is this the drums Missy? I'm sorry, I've never heard them." He responded, in a genuinely apologetic tone. Her eyes narrowed further still, "no, not the drums. The voices. His voice." He watched her close her eyes as another pain seared through her. It seemed to pass quicker this time, as she opened her eyes and focused on him once more.

. The Doctor thought of giving her something to ease the pain but, not knowing the root cause, didn't think it was appropriate. Instead, he pulled out a cooling pad and placed it across her forehead. She jumped back in surprise when it reached her skin but judging by the way her face relaxed, she was grateful for it. "It was Rassilon. He is in my mind, I can feel him" she told him, eyes begging to be believed and growing wider, more manic and unhinged, by the second. He didn't believe her though. His eyes had looked at her in confusion and, worst of all, pity as his shoulders slumped. She could tell he didn't believe her. He thought she was imagining it, having a mad moment. A Missy moment. Maybe she was.

Looking her over, he decided that this was brought on by stress. It had to be. Stress and flashbacks. Her mind was playing tricks on her and her memories were making her see and hear things that weren't there. He shouldn't have left her on her own. Stroking her arm, he spoke softly "Missy, Rassilon's not here and I'm not going to let him get to you again. We're not going near the Time Lords or the War. I promise." He hated speaking to her like this, like a child. It felt patronising, she wasn't a child and she wasn't stupid. But he had to tread carefully, he didn't know how she was going to react. When she was like this, she was so unpredictable. She looked up at him, considering arguing, telling him that Rassilon really was there whispering words of war in her mind. She couldn't be sure, though, that it wasn't her that was mistaken. Shaking her head, " I don't know. It...he sounded real." Pausing for a moment, adjusting the cooling pad on her head she conceded "Maybe you're right. The Time Lords will catch up with us eventually, though. They always do."

Not giving him a second to dwell on that thought, she spoke again "my head isn't hurting so much now. This pad thing is good. What is it?" He smiled at her, pleased to see a bit of colour returning to her cheeks, "it's human- from Boots or Superdrug, somewhere like that. Amy used to get migraines when she first started travelling with me and she left packets of the things lying around. They're good for instant relief, aren't they?" Nodding in agreement Missy commented, "its very good for human medicine. Thank you. I'm sorry I ruined our day. I should have left you two to it." She found herself inwardly cringing at how weak she sounded. A high pitched bleep sounded in the room and the Doctor stood as he retrieved his phone from his pocket, rolling his eyes as Kate's name showed up again. "Who said the day was ruined?" he forced a smile at her, "we had a good breakfast and Clara's enjoying herself shopping." "I guess" she half smiled, not entirely convinced. "So, UNIT's still trying to get hold of you?" No point in pretending she didn't know anymore. "Haven't stopped all morning. I'm going to have to call. Wait a minute- how long have you known it was them?" She simply rolled her eyes, "all morning. I might be many things but I'm not stupid." "I know you're not stupid. I just didn't want to upset you. Are you sure you're feeling better now? Will you be okay if I go and call Kate? I don't want to come back to you having a funny turn again." She nodded, smiling "I'll be fine. It's just a dull ache now. Do you have a TV on board? I'd like to watch something mind numbing in the dark. Go and call her, if she gets difficult, tell her I'm not above killing her."

He glared at her but didn't bother verbally chastising her, he knew there was no real malice behind her words. Not this time, at least. "There's a telly around the corner. If you hear someone entering the Tardis, don't panic and don't launch an attack. It'll only be Clara. No one else would be allowed in. Are you sure you wouldn't rather go and try to get some sleep? You still look a little peaky." She shook her head, "I'm not tired, slept yesterday. Don't tell me you'd be able to sleep after only a day without it." He wanted to argue, tell her that she hadn't slept well last night and that she needed bed rest to repair. But he knew that physically she wouldn't be able to sleep, their bodies just weren't wired that way. He had been hoping that she would fall into a repair coma while the physical wounds healed, but it hadn't happened. "Ok. I won't be long. Do you want a glass of water or anything?" She shook her head, feeling apprehension building as she wondered what was going to happen with UNIT and quickly pushing it to the back of her mind. "So, tell me, do they still show Clangers?" She asked, a smile creeping onto her lips causing a light, reminiscent chuckle to fall from his. "Not sure, but you'll find something suitable. There are hundreds of channels" he countered, following her around the corner to where the TV set was situated and watching as she sunk into the brown armchair.


	16. Chapter sixteen

Walking back to the console, he began ringing Kate's number, unsurprised when she answered immediately. "You are impossible to get hold of" she sounded tired, he thought before continuing to listen to her. "I mean, I know you normally are but I would have thought given the severity of the situation, even you would have been more contactable. I mean what were you thinking- you could just carry on gallivanting around the universe Clara and Missy in tow pretending everything was normal. We need your help." There was a momentary silence on the line as Kate caught her breath, "I mean, has Missy even been checked over by a real doctor? And you said you were going to deal with the Time Lords, have you? Do you have anything resembling a plan?" There was some more silence and this time, the Doctor realised it was his turn to speak. "I know. I just wanted a day where we didn't have to face it all. I should have realised that it wouldn't work. No, Missy hasn't been checked over and no I haven't got a plan. How are things your end? How are things looking with the faction?" No point in trying to butter up the situation. It was bad and there was no more running away from it. "Look, it's been a shock for you. You were trying to do what you thought was best. We need to work together, both the faction and the Time Lords are banking on us turning against each other. We won't let that happen. Bring Missy to the UNIT hospital, we have some of the best staff and they know Time Lord biology so you won't have to explain the two hearts or anything else. It's best all round. Things with the faction are settled- for now. We managed to communicate with the faction's leader. They said they'd be willing to negotiate if they could talk to you." The Doctor listened to what Kate was saying, taking it all in. "How about I meet you at UNIT HQ at 3pm GMT?" "Okay, we'll be ready to meet you."

Putting the phone down, the Doctor made his way back to Missy smiling at the sight he found. Missy was curled up in the large armchair head resting on the oversized cushion and her dark curls cascading over the edge of the chair. Her hairpins and jacket had been discarded. For once, she'd opted for comfort over style. She wasn't asleep but was in the closest physical state to it she could get without the aid of sedatives. The only light in the room was the TV that projected the bright colours of some children's show and her eyes were watching the screen intently. She looked peaceful and he felt guilty that he'd have to ruin that with their impending visit to UNIT. Still, they had to wait for Clara to return and now they had a set meeting time with Kate, he could just programme the Tardis to travel to that time. Their peace needn't be ruined just yet.

Walking around so that he was in her sight, he didn't want to make her jump especially as she looked so settled, he made his presence known "I'm back. Wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be- didn't get too much of a bollocking from Kate. Can I sit down with you?" Missy drew her eyes away from the TV screen, she was in a passive, almost hypnotic state. It wasn't the same passive state she was in the previous evening but more of a relaxed, healing state. Even so, the Doctor was cautious of leaving her alone for too long like this, past experiences had taught him he'd regret that. "Of course" she mumbled in response to his request, and he quickly made about repositioning himself under her slight form. "I'm glad you weren't in too much trouble with the headmistress. Wouldn't want you to get detention" she taunted, eyes returning to the screen as she rested her head back into the nook of his arm. "Quite" he agreed, massaging his fingers into her hair. "How's the head now?" he enquired, already knowing it was better as he could feel her temples thumping less than earlier and he was able to engage with her psyche without being met with the excruciating pain of earlier. "Much better. So what did Little Miss Stewart have to say?" The Doctor closed his eyes trying to think of a way to explain they were going to have to go to UNIT, not to mention the fact that it was UNIT medical staff that were going to check her over. "We're going to have to go to their headquarters, aren't we?" Missy asked, enunciating every letter in "headquarters" her disdain at its existence evident, before the Doctor had had a chance to compose a response. "Yes, we need to go and have a meeting with them. Kate has said the faction leader will open up negotiations if I'm there."

He felt guilty when he felt her tense at the mention of the faction leader, uttering a simple "I see" in response before relaxing back into her trance like state. "Do you remember if you ever met the leader?" he pressed, suspecting the answer but wanting to know what he was walking into before he went to the meeting. "You could say that. The Master has quite the reputation, you know. Must be dealt with personally, from the very top" she replied, monotonously. He noted her use of third person, presumably an attempt to detach herself from her words. Not quite knowing what to say he settled on an attempt at reassurance, "you won't have to see them- the leader that is- negotiations or not." He felt Missy sit up, trance now fully broken, her eyes locked onto him "I'd kill him if I saw him. Negotiations or not." It was a threat and a promise he knew she'd keep. "I won't let it get to that stage. Kate has said that UNIT's hospital will be able to check you over when we get there."

The Doctor knew she was going to react badly whenever he told her so there was no point in putting it off. Get it out of the way quickly, like ripping off a plaster. Better now than dropping it on her when they arrived. There wasn't much he could do to console her, so instead he allowed her to have her reaction. He watched cautiously as she scrunched her eyes shut and buried her head into his shoulder, holding onto the lapels of his jacket a bit tighter and quietly whimpering. After a few moments, he spoke gently "Come on now, hush. I'll be there and it won't be like your other times in hospital, this is a proper hospital and they'll have your best interests at heart." There were a few more moments of silence and eventually Missy spoke, voice still shaky in her rising apprehension. "It wasn't always like this. You remember, don't you?" Oh she always had had a penchant for vagueness, he thought, he'd had a long life and there was a lot to remember. "Remember what?" he asked with a genuine curiosity. "When it was you that was broken, not me. I've not always been this pathetic" she responded. Of course he remembered that, it always had been swings and roundabouts with them. It was almost as though they had a contract and those were the terms. "We made a promise to each other, too many years ago to recall now, that we'd always be there for each other. Regardless of whatever disagreements we may have had. So yes, I do recall that it hasn't always been this way around. It just so happens that, right now, it's you that needs the help. That doesn't make you pathetic."

The Doctor smiled slightly when she nodded, appearing to accept his response. "So are we going to head there when Clara gets back?" "Yes, she shouldn't be too long now, the market wasn't that big. I'll give her a little while and then I'll go and look for her." The pair turned their attentions back to the television screen that was still on in the background. "It's always children's television shows with you, how come?" The Doctor asked after a few moments of comfortable silence, "things get so complicated. These don't. They're just pretty colours and stories that always work out in the end. It's a guilty pleasure, works when I can't quite sleep but need to zone out. Don't like to indulge too often but works a treat when I do. Also, human attempts at actual drama or plot aimed at adults are laughable." Making to stand up, deciding it was time to start finding Clara, the Doctor responded with a "well that's true. Though, I'm quite enjoying Game of Thrones at the moment. I prefer meditation to kids' TV. Same effect and no annoying songs. I thought you did too? You were better than me as well- requires too much attention." As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted it. Remembering what she had disclosed to him last time they had stayed together. It wasn't like when we were young, she had said, her mind was no longer up to dealing with any length of distraction-free stillness. He was about to apologise when she responded bluntly, "I don't meditate anymore. Prefer to have some kind of distraction." "I know, I'm sorry, I remember now" he replied instantly, his stammering elicited a throaty laugh from her as she quipped "well, you've got to live up to your Doctor Idiot title somehow." Raising his eyebrows at her, the Doctor's face turned pensive. He knew that he was going to be mocked for going soppy on her, but he had to praise her for dealing with things healthily this time. She so rarely managed to in times like these. "I'm proud of you though, for taking yourself off and calming yourself down like that with the TV show. I know you had a bit of a wobble when we were talking about the hospital, but you did really well Missy. I mean it." The Doctor watched as an emotion he couldn't quite place crossed her face before she responded sincerely with a "thank you." Pausing, Missy had considered mocking him or asking if he was surprised as she usually failed spectacularly at reacting healthily. Instead, she decided to continue with her honesty adding, "will you remember this the next time I don't react so well?" The Doctor wanted to encourage her, tell her that she wasn't going to react badly while he was there but he knew that he couldn't promise her that. He could, however, promise that he would be there when she needed him. So, he found himself gently pecking her on the forehead and promising "Of course, I will."


	17. Chapter seventeen

"Okay, everyone can I have your attention please. You've all been working above and beyond today and I really appreciate it" Kate said addressing her staff that had grouped together in the main room. "I have some good news for you. As some of you are aware, the army were able to detain Gordon Reaves- the leader of the off-shoot. We've been able to secure one of the faction's bases and have started interviews with Reaves. He hasn't been co-operative thus far, saying he'll only speak to the Doctor. Fortunately, the Doctor is due here soon." Kate paused there to gauge the reaction of her staff. The arrival of the Doctor always caused a great deal of excitement amongst UNIT employees and for many of the new recruits this was the first time they would have met the Doctor. Kate cringed thinking about some of the faux-pas some of them would inevitably make, this incarnation of the Doctor wasn't renowned for his people skills. After allowing the chatter to calm down, she continued "the Doctor, Missy and Clara will all be arriving at 3pm. I suggest you all grab a half an hour break, get some lunch maybe a cup of tea and come back here refreshed and ready to work hard. Could I just have a word with the medical team?"

The room emptied out until it was just Kate and about five members of the medical team left. She thought she would take this opportunity to inform them that they would be examining Missy when she arrived and if they didn't feel comfortable doing so, now was the time to say something. It would be understandable if some of them didn't want to be responsible for her care, she had killed many of the UNIT employees- people that members of the medical team considered friends. "Thanks for staying behind, this will only take a minute. As I mentioned earlier, Missy had been kept in a prison at the off-shoots' base when I saw her yesterday she was in a bad way. The Time Lords are attempting to create a new army for the Time War, and they're using the Master's new female form to produce this army. When they arrive here, Missy is going to need to be examined. We need to find out how far along the pregnancy is, what other species the baby is and whether a human pregnancy is going to have adverse effects on a Time Lord. If any of you are uncomfortable treating a patient with Missy's reputation, now is your chance to say so. I won't blame any of you if you choose to leave, but if you do choose to take on this case then you need to maintain the upmost professionalism. Otherwise it will be the Doctor you are answering to, not me. So, the decision is yours. If you don't want to be involved feel free to leave now."

After a few awkward glances four of the staff left the room, apologising but saying they couldn't treat someone like that. The one team member that remained didn't surprise Kate. The junior doctor had spent time working in the faction only to leave after objecting to the way they were treating prisoners. Dr Chang was also in the process of carrying out research into Time Lord biology. This would provide him with the opportunity to view Time Lord biology first hand. It would also ease his conscience knowing that he could help an ex-prisoner of the faction. "Thank you Dr Chang. I appreciate your help" Kate said genuinely. "Its no problem. It will help my studies. Anyway, I saw what they were doing in that prison and that might come in handy when treating Missy" Dr Chang responded, pausing to nervously adjust his tie. "The only thing is... doesn't she still think she killed me?" It was an awkward topic and there was no easy way to bring it up. Kate crossed her hands in her lap, leaning back against her desk and considering the question. "Well, yesterday we told her that she wasn't really behind 3W and that it was a way of justifying her imprisonment. I think she believed it at the time but it was hard to know for certain. When they arrive, I'll explain the situation to the Doctor." Dr Chang nodded, with only the slightest apprehension. "Okay, well if you don't mind I'm going to look over my notes on Time Lords and get one of the rooms ready" the young Dr said as he made for the door.

Meanwhile, on Gallifrey, Lord President Rassilon's mood had lifted for the first time since he had heard of the Mistress' premature release. When he found out who was responsible for that, there would be hell to pay. No one was more pleased about Rassilon's improved mood than the members of the High Council that had been walking on egg shells all morning. "So you see, Lord President, while we no longer have the Mistress in captivity we are still very much able to control her via this tracking device" a Time Lord from the scientist department had nervously informed Rassilon as he finished instructing him on how to use the device. "Hmm. I see and how do we know this will last for the duration of the pregnancy?" Rassilon asked cautiously, he didn't invest so much time in this project for it to be ruined by those two renegades. "It will last. And might actually help us to ensure that the Doctor returns to Gallifrey as well as the Mistress" the Time Lord assured confidently. "How so?" Rassilon asked, liking the idea but knowing how hard it was to get one of them, let alone the both of them, to return to their home planet. "You've seen for yourself the distress the device is capable of causing the Mistress. Well, you know from past experience that the Doctor won't leave her alone when she's in that state. He's not going to leave her side for the duration of the pregnancy so when the time comes for her to return to Gallifrey- say, what a month before the birth?- the Doctor will be right there with her. His not going to let her return home on her own and so we'll have them both and the start of a new army to help with the Time War. Gallifrey will be stronger than ever before and we'll be able to rewrite our planet's past failings." When the scientist had finished the explanation, Rassilon couldn't help but smile. "Finally, their weakness for each other will be our strength."

Chapter 18: Chapter 18  
A cool breeze entering the Tardis interrupted the intimate moment and the pair turned around to find a slightly embarrassed looking Clara laden-down with shopping bags. "Oh, um, sorry. Should I go back out again and knock?" she asked as she took in the scene before her. She knew the two of them had always been close. Now she found herself mentally noting to ask the Doctor exactly what his relationship with the Master was if the current living situation was to continue. It would prevent any unwanted intrusions, she thought. "Ah, Clara, I was just about to come and find you. What- why would you do that?" The Doctor asked, clearly not understanding Clara's insinuation. Clara rolled her eyes responding "never mind" before surveying the appearance of the two Time Lords a little more closely. Missy looked several shades paler than she had earlier and the Doctor looked even more concerned. Maybe she should keep her encounter with Henry to herself, or at least only mention it to the Doctor when he seemed a little calmer. "Why are you both in here anyway? Have I missed something?" she asked cautiously. "Nothing you would have wanted to be involved in dear. I had a minor head ache and we decided it was best to come back here." Missy replied, half yawning, she wanted to put on some of her usual theatrics but didn't have the energy for it. They'd be heading to UNIT soon and she'd rather save her play acting for that than hiding from Clara. She was starting to trust the girl, even if she was loathed to admit it. "Minor?" the Doctor questioned eyebrows shooting up and Scottish accent thick, "you could barely stand up." "Would you stop trying to turn me into your damsel. I had a headache, it was bad, the Doctor helped." Missy retorted, her own accent thickening to match his. The two of them were like a double act. They could do pantomime, Clara thought to herself, before enquiring "do you often get headaches or is this something to do with the pregnancy and what the rebel UNIT did to you?" She was mainly thinking aloud, trying to make sense of the situation, but quickly realised how insensitive it sounded. A glance at Missy, who had shrunk further into the armchair and was looking absentmindedly at the ground, confirmed it. "I don't know. I've had a long life. I've always suffered headaches and heard voices but this time something was different. It could be either, I guess" she responded monotonously blinking a few times before looking back up at Clara. "Wait, did you say you heard voices. Did you recognise any of the voices?" Clara asked, remembering what Henry had said about keeping an eye out for strange behaviour. Missy looked directly up her, snapping "what do you mean by that?" The Doctor, who had found himself distracted by some new piece of technology, also turned to face the young human. "Clara" he warned "it was just voices sometimes she- well we, really, hear voices. When you've lived as long as us and spend as much time alone, it's only natural." "But Doctor-" Clara started, only to be interrupted as the Doctor reaffirmed "It was just voices, Clara. I heard them. No voice in particular. Now drop it, please?" He glanced over at Missy, hoping this wasn't putting ideas in her mind that she was right about Rassilon. Even though she hadn't taken much convincing earlier, he knew what she could be like when she got an idea in her head. It wasn't worth the stress for her or for him. "Fine" Clara responded, throwing her hands in the air in defeat but noting to herself that she would tell the Doctor what Henry had warned her about the tracking device when they were alone.

Clara turned her attention back to the remarkably quiet Time Lady, she looked like she was deep in thought turning something over in her mind. "So" Clara started "are you feeling better now?" Missy nodded meekly, "if we're quite done here, I'm going to go for a bit of a lie down. Do you mind if I use your room again, Thete? I want all my energy, if I'm going to give your UNIT friends hell. I have a reputation to live up to" she asserted, winking dramatically. "You're welcome to stay in my room, you know that" the Doctor responded, apparently giving Missy all the confirmation she needed as she turned on her heel and headed towards his bedroom. He knew she wasn't tired and was mildly concerned at what she was planning. Concluding that she probably needed some alone time before arriving at UNIT, he was happy to let her go. "Missy" he called after her, voice serious "Don't joke about that. You won't be living up to your reputation, I know very well what that reputation entails and I've assured Kate you're no risk to her staff. I have no qualms in letting them lock you up if you break my assurances." Missy faltered slightly at the idea of being locked up again but quickly regained her composure "who said I was joking? Anyway, it would be my pleasure if I could liven up their little lives with my presence." And with that she sauntered down the corridor, the Doctor sighing after as he watched he leave.


	18. Chapter eighteen

"We're meeting UNIT at 3pm, Clara. I spoke to Kate, they've neutralised the faction base and have the leader detained. Apparently, he'll only talk if I'm there." The Doctor informed her in a matter of fact manner. "How was Kate with you? Are you okay?" Clara asked cautiously, noticing that his mood had darkened. "Kate was okay. She was kind actually, especially given my reaction. We've agreed we need to work together, they're expecting us to argue. United we stand, divided we fall. Or something along those inspirational lines. Could put it on a fridge magnet. Kate's said the UNIT hospital will check Missy over. I don't think that it's going to go well but I want to get her checked over sooner rather than later." He finished, groaning as he ran his hands through his hair. "How am I?" he continued, "I don't know. I really don't know. I can't understand what Rassilon's reasoning is behind this. I know he hates her. I know he wants revenge and to make an example of her. But this? He must have gone even more power hungry, to want to create a whole new army to fight a truly pointless war." Clara looked over towards the Doctor, considering whether or not she should tell him about her earlier encounter. Fumbling with the small brown envelope, she quickly placed it in one of her shopping bags. "So have you managed to contact this bloke? Rassilon. See what his game is?" The Doctor stopped fiddling with the sonic appliance he'd been poorly attempting to repair, "that bloke?" he chuckled, gravely. "No. I thought Gallifrey was still locked in the pocket dimension. I still don't know how Kos- Missy- got out of the time lock. Before, when we first saw her at 3W, I thought she had used that wonderful mind to escape but now I don't think even she knows how she got out. You know, there are a lot of people that would pay good money to see the Master manipulated like this."

It was then that Clara decided she had to tell him about Henry and the envelope. The information might prove useful and she was convinced that Rassilon's tracking device was behind Missy's funny turn earlier. "Doctor, when I was at the market I bumped into the waiter" Clara began, watching as the Doctor looked up at her. "He was a nice chap but if you're about to tell me you're in love, I'll have to disapprove. Humans are just a walking set of chemicals sometimes, aren't they?" the Doctor responded. Retrieving the brown envelope Clara shook her head, "no. It's not that. Henry- that's the waiter's name. Turns out he's not really the waiter. He says he's a travel companion of an old friend of yours. Anyway, somehow they know about the situation and they've said that Rassilon is tracking Missy and will be able to lure you both back to Gallifrey before the baby is born. I don't know exactly how it works or what his plan is but I was given this envelope. Apparently it explains everything." Clara found herself blurting everything that had happened out and cautiously handed the envelope over to the Doctor. Eyebrows knitted together, the Doctor took the envelope "what? A friend of mine. Did this Henry say who that friend was?" he enquired turning the envelope over in his and noting the Gallifreyan seal on the back. "No, I did ask but they said they're working on a plan to counter Rassilon. They'd made some progress- learning about the tracking device but were stumped by the advanced technology. They said they need help from you and Missy." The Doctor ran a hand over his face letting out a deep groan, Clara stepped forward squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "This is good, we know we have people on our side and we know some of Rassilon's plan. Also, Doctor, I know that you didn't want to talk about the voices Missy heard, but Henry said to look out for strange behaviour. I guess you'd know best- could the voices she heard have anything to do with the tracking device?" "I don't know. Earlier she was convinced that she heard Rassilon and for a split second I thought I heard a voice that I recognised. It wouldn't be the first time that the Time Lords have placed signals in minds and they've had plenty of opportunity while she's been in captivity. I need to read over whatever is in here before I can say for sure. Until then, we keep this between us."

Clara nodded, "I'll leave you to it. I'm going to go and have a shower before we head to UNIT HQ. Did you want me to check on Missy at all?" The Doctor tore his eyes away from the envelope. He had been staring at it for so long he was surprised that he hadn't burnt a hole in it. "Okay, we'll head off soon. Um thanks, but she'll be okay. Let's just give her a bit of space, I'll check in a bit" he informed Clara, absentmindedly, quickly setting about opening the envelope as soon as she had wandered off down the corridor. The first thing that caught the Doctor's eye was a slip of A4 paper. The cursive handwriting was familiar, he had seen it somewhere before. Then again, of course he would have done if this mysterious person really was the friend they claimed to be. Opening up the letter, he began to read its contents. Almost immediately its author became clear.

Hello Old Man,

It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm on a path I think you'll agree with much more now. I've also met someone. Someone I trust enough to give the second immortality patch to- Henry, that's his name. He isn't the sharpest tool in the box but we love each other. That's all we can ask for in life really, isn't it? If you haven't already guessed, it's Me (or Ashildr if you must insist on being nostalgic).

I suppose you're wondering what this is all about. Well I know you're in quite the pickle and I've been spending a lot of time with your species. They're a bit of a mess. I thought I'd met all the great warrior races, but they have nothing on the Time Lords. You kept that quiet. I never thought that an old hippie like you would originate from a planet with Gallifrey's reputation. Mind you, when I first met the Master I never would have guessed you were both the same species. Although listening to Rassilon go on about the pair of you there are certainly some similarities. Two Renegade Time Lords in a pod. She's your Henry, isn't she? They know that, of course. They know that your eachother's weakness and they're planning on using it against you.

That leads me onto the point in hand. I've been working as a double agent within the High Council. They think I'm an immortal monster created by the Doctor, desperate to do anything to get revenge on you. In reality, I've been able to sabotage some of their plans and collect information. I was also able to release Missy earlier than Rassilon had wanted and send her to you. She won't remember that part though. I kind of owed her one after she helped me with negotiations in gaining weapons of mass destruction a while back. You really don't want to hear about that though, it was before I met Henry and I was still rebelling. I never found out what her motivations were- I only had to mention WMDs and annoying you and she was on board. I should warn you that they wiped her memory but the longer she is away from the prison, the more she is going to start to remember. I imagine, by now, you've started to realise that though. I tried to reach you as soon as possible, but you don't make it easy.

In terms of what they're planning, details are a bit hazy. I can warn you that Rassilon is tracking Missy and planning on using the tracking device to get you both back to Gallifrey to fight in the new Time War. It will also ensure that the child is born in imprisonment and will be cloned immediately for the aforementioned army. I've been trying to work on a way to destroy the tracking device but the technology is beyond human capability. Even a highly capable, immortal human such as myself. I need your help- I've sent through some of the files I've been able to get copies of and I hope to be able to meet in person soon.

Take care, Me

Folding up the letter and briefly scanning over the files, the Doctor couldn't help but let a smile creep across his lips. Little Ashildr hadn't turned out so badly after all (he chose to ignore the part about weapons of mass destruction, focusing instead on the fact she was back on the straight and narrow). Looking down at the complex blueprints, the Doctor guiltily realised that Missy probably had heard Rassilon's voice. The plans detailed information about a tiny communication device that is placed inside the mind. It is placed close to the part of the brain responsible for decision making, meaning whoever it is placed inside is highly susceptible to hypnotism. That would mean that the Time Lords would be able to trick Missy into returning to Gallifrey to give birth to the child. The device was also a tracker, that would mean if the hypnotism failed, they would be able to locate Missy and forcibly take her back to Gallifrey. The device must have been set to activate several hours after she left the prison and would account for the headache and voices. While the Doctor felt guilty that he had told Missy the voices weren't real, he was pleased that they now knew about the device. It placed them one step ahead of the Time Lords and when he met with Kate he would actually be able to provide her with some information about what they were planning and start creating a solution.


	19. Chapter nineteen

Once Missy had made it out of the Doctor's line of vision, she set her sights on a door straight ahead. Behind that door was the only room in the Tardis that always remained unchanged. It was almost like an old storage room that contained things that were no longer of use but too sentimental to throw away. It was also where the Doctor kept all his Gallifreyan books and there was one book in particular that Missy had in mind. There was no way that the she had imagined Rassilon's voice. It was too real. Clara's questioning over what voices she had heard and the way she had looked at her when she arrived back in the Tardis confirmed it. Someone had spoken to Clara at the market and divulged information. But who had she spoken to and could they be trusted? Whoever it was had to be human, Missy hadn't picked up on a single scent of anything but humans and Time Lords. Closing her eyes, Missy groaned as another jolt of pain ran across her forehead. This time it didn't bring with it any voices, just memories. Resting her head against the cool of the door frame, she let the memories flash across her mind.

She could see the four walls of the prison cell, it was icy cold. Every time she breathed out, she could see it dancing in front of her. It was mocking her- we're free, we've escaped and you're still trapped. You're here forever, her escaped breath taunted her. There was an agonising pain that had ripped through her abdomen, crippling her movements and leaving her sat in a pool of her own blood. She wasn't alone, there was a small figure, pale with long dark hair that had been approaching her. "I'm on your side. I promise. Drink this water and we're going to get the Doctor soon." The figure had said in a surprisingly soothing voice. Missy had laughed bitterly at that, forgetting the debilitating pain for a second. The figure was draped in the robes of the High Council and had her backed into a corner in the prison cell. It was hard to believe that they were on her side. "No more doctors. Leave me alone. I'm tired and hurt, just let me be." She had begged, hating the weak sound of her voice, as she pushed the water away. "No, not faction doctors or High Council doctors. Your Doctor." That had made Missy look up. For a split second, she had thought the Doctor had regenerated into a female form too. They always had had an anything you can do, I can do better rivalry. But as she met the stranger's eyes, she realised it wasn't the Doctor but someone equally familiar. " Lady Me?" she croaked, watching as the girl's eyes twinkled. "That's right, Mistress. I'm here to help. It's my way of thanking you for the nuclear weapons."

Returning to her senses, Missy lifted her head and held onto door frame as she regained balance. All day, she had been starting to remember more about her imprisonment but this was the first time she had had a full blown flashback. Inconvenient and unpleasant it may have been, but it was also useful. The more she remembered, the more likely it would be that something useful would return. On this occasion, it looks like that may have happened. Lady Me, the immortal girl previously known as Ashildr that the Doctor had rescued in the throes of one of his moral crises, was working with the Time Lords. But she was working to sabotage their plan, not aid it. This was good news- having someone on the inside would prove beneficial. At this stage, Missy was confused about how their timelines had ever crossed. She remembered taking a bitter Ashildr under her wing after the Doctor had flown off and then helping her obtain weapons for some plan that never quite succeeded. Still, the details remained blurry. One thing she'd learned, though, when interacting with other immortals was that it wasn't worth asking too many questions. If Me was now on Gallifrey, she had managed to find some way of getting off of Earth. Quite a superior mode of transport if she had made it through the time lock. Unless, the Time Lords had decided that Me was of strategic use and found a way of getting her to Gallifrey. But with all the travelling the Time Lords and the UNIT faction had been doing between Gallifrey and Earth, maybe the time lock didn't exist anymore. Or maybe there was a new portal or some form of new technology that they had been using. There were so many possibilities and Missy would be lying if she said she wasn't excited at

figuring out exactly what was going on. If there was an easier way to get back to Gallifrey, she might be able return on her own terms and lead a revenge mission. She could barely contain her excitement at the thought of it, finally her chance to kill Rassilon and the whole sorry lot of them. She would feel none of the guilt that the Doctor had when she watched Gallifrey burn.

A nagging realisation struck Missy, throwing her plot into question. Lowering her hand to her stomach and brushing her thumb over the slight bump, she found herself whispering "I'm not alone anymore" as a powerful protectiveness surged through her body. Of course, she was under no illusions that she would be able to keep the child once it was born. Even if they managed to keep the baby from Rassilon's grasp, they would need to find a more suitable home for it. Missy wasn't mother material, she never would be. Anyway, she'd already had and lost one daughter and that was more than enough to endure. Whether she liked it or not, she had to carry this child for several months and that presented practical problems with leading a revenge attack. In a few months time, she'd be much larger and much slower- a sitting target.

"No, that doesn't matter. I'll find a way, it can be a challenge. I'm the Master, there's always a way. I'm happy to take the long road and play the waiting game" she concluded to herself. Yes, that was what she would do. Start the theoretical planning, maybe brainstorm some ideas. Then, when she was in a more suitable condition, she would carry out the practicalities. For now, she should return to what she came here for- the book. Then she can take the book to the Doctor, prove she was right and tell him what she remembered about Me. She just had to make sure she did it before they headed off to UNIT.

Opening the door, to the old storage room she was met with a wave of dust. Flicking the dust out of the way and making a beeline for the book collection situated at the back of the room, Missy quickly located the collection she was looking for. Running her finger along the third book in she read the name aloud A Guide to Time Lord Technology and Practices in Ensuring Compliance of Prisoners. That would be the one. "Missy, where are you?" the Doctor's voice echoed off the walls as she heard his footsteps making their way down the corridor. Damn it, she said she would be in the bedroom having a lie down. It doesn't matter now, not now she knew she was right and had the news about Me. Pulling the book off the shelf and fussing as a wave of dust made her sneeze, Missy headed for the door calling out "I'm in here, Doctor."

Chapter 21: Chapter 21  
A/N Thanks again everyone that's been reading and reviewing. Here is a long overdue update, real life has been hectic. This is just a bit of a filler between chapters. I'm hoping to actually get the story going a bit in the next few chapters (only taken 21 chapters).

The Doctor turned the corner upon hearing Missy's voice. Five minutes earlier, he had been mildly concerned about where she had gotten to when he found his bedroom empty. For a split second, he had thought that she had done a disappearing act but he quickly realised that he could still very much sense the presence of another Time Lord on board. The Doctor had then begun to worry about what she could be getting up to, but upon hearing a breezy response echo down the hall way, he had been reassured. "I thought you were going for a rest. What are you doing out here?" The Doctor asked cautiously, trying to prevent the suspicion leaking into his voice as he noted the room she was leaving and the book she was carrying. "I needed to look for something" Missy responded, weighing up whether or not to be completely honest with him. "I found it. An old Gallifreyan book. It'll prove that I was right about hearing Rassilon. You almost convinced me out of it before but the way Clara was talking earlier, the questions she was asking. There's something more to this- even a human can see that!" she held her hand up to the Doctor to prevent him from responding, fearing he was about to object to her assertions. "Don't. Don't you dare tell me I'm wrong. I know what I heard and I remembered something earlier. A memory from my time in imprisonment. It wasn't a particularly pleasant memory but it was a useful one. Lady Me was with the Time Lords, I remember her helping me. Remember her, the one you made immortal when you were prancing around playing fairy godmother a while back? Well she's actually turned out useful" Missy spat defensively. She hadn't meant to get herself so worked up and hadn't meant to snap at the Doctor but couldn't admit that to him now. The Doctor held his hands up defensively "I know. Well I only just found out actually, Lady Me sent a letter via the waiter and via Clara" he explained watching as Missy's eyebrows furrowed. "Why is nothing ever simple with you?" She asked after a moment, tucking the book under her arm. "That's rich coming from you!" he chuckled trying to lighten the mood but the atmosphere remained tense. "I think Clara's having a sneaky nap, she went off for a shower about an hour ago and I haven't heard from her since. Maybe we could take the chance to have a chat. Especially before all the craziness that comes with UNIT." Missy nodded, motioning for him to lead the way.

They made it into the library and sat next to each other on the sofa. "Do we have time for this conversation before we have to meet UNIT?" Missy asked as she opened up the book at the index page, tracing her finger down the list. "Time machine, Missy. I expect to have to explain it to the humans but not you!" he laughed, but the humour was lost on her as she became fully immersed in her reading. The atmosphere had taken an odd turn and that worried the Doctor when Missy was in this frame of mind. "I only just found out about Lady Me. I promise you" the Doctor said after a while, fearing that that was what was bothering her. "Just tell me what you know about Lady Me and what it means" Missy instructed looking up from her book briefly before creasing her forehead and returning to her Doctor looked over at her, considering lying but realising she'd see right through him. "Ashildr" he started, only to be quickly interrupted by Missy "her name is Me. Hasn't been Ashildr in years, Doctor. Always longing for a past that is long gone" she cooed. "You still call me Theta" he commented, "that's different. Now come on, get on with it." Resisting the urge to remind her that she interrupted him, the Doctor continued relaying Me's letter to Missy telling her about the tracker, Me working as a double agent and releasing Missy earlier than Rassilon had wanted.

"The tracking device, it's probably this' Missy said pointing at a glossary entry in the Gallifreyan book. "That's a new one for them. I should start writing my own book on all the weapons they've used on me. Ooh you could too then we could compare notes" she said lightly, an air of humour returning to her voice. The Doctor snorted slightly "It'd be a close race, but you'd win that one." "I know" she confirmed. "A lot of this is going to be a waiting game, isn't it?" Missy said after a moment. The Doctor nodded "Rassilon will be binding his time until the baby's birth, he wants you to give birth on Gallifrey so that they can start creating the army straight away. They must be getting desperate in the War to go to these measures. It'll be years before the child is able to fight" the Doctor trailed off, voice cracking. Missy looked at him sympathetically, the War brought bad memories for both of them. Taking his hand in hers, she traced her thumb across his knuckles, "they've been desperate for a long time. They're creating other weapons too, all the time. This is just their pièce de résistance. It can torture both of us and be of use to them strategically." The Doctor recovered his composure and nodded "you're right. We can do something about the UNIT faction, though, work to try and disable the tracker." Missy nodded "I'm in for a good few months then" she half joked. "We are in it together. Come on, we are going to have to face this sooner or later so better get going" Missy bit her lip to avoid reminding the Doctor that it was her that had to carry the child and her that had the tracking device inside her head.

"I'm going to get changed before we go" Missy said as she stood up. "All the earth girls you take on board must have left something suitable behind?" "Yeah, of course, come on. I've got some spare things in my bedroom. Are you uncomfortable then?" He asked curiously, she'd been remarkably guarded about the pregnancy and he was worried she was in denial about it. Missy looked up at him "a little bit" she confessed. "I was hoping to make the corset trans dimensional. I like these clothes, you know, but I haven't had the time or energy and needs must" she finished with a shrug. The Doctor just nodded, "you'll be back in your old clothes in no time, but for now I have these bits you can borrow" he said as he passed her a pair of tracksuit bottoms and long sleeved top. Missy, who had begun to remove her many items of clothing, accepted the clothes with a nod of her head. She pulled the top over her head and the Doctor's eyes were drawn down to the way the material clung to the small bump in her centre. Missy's condition was much more evident when her layers of clothing were taken away and they both realised it. Missy's hand hovered over the bump, not quite touching it, "how didn't I notice this the first night I arrived?" she asked. The Doctor wasn't sure whether or not she wanted the question was rhetorical. He answered anyway. "I didn't notice either. Not even when I changed your clothes" he offered as he watched her pull on the tracksuit bottoms. "It's not your body though" she sighed, reviewing her new look in the mirror. It was less than satisfactory. "Do you have a jumper or something?" she asked after a moment. Anything to cover her growing abdomen. The Doctor walked over to the chest of drawers and pulled out a rugby jumper he'd acquired somewhere along the line, throwing it over to her. He knew she didn't want it for warmth, so wasn't too concerned about it's light cotton material. Missy pulled it over her head, smiling as the bump, for now, disappeared under the green shirt. The Doctor looked over at her sadly, knowing she wouldn't be able to cover it so easily for much longer. "Your memory was wiped and you were confused when you first arrived here. Anyway, our people haven't reproduced in this way for centuries. In our lifetimes, it was very rare and in the remote villages. I don't recall ever seeing a pregnant Time Lord." The Doctor mused. "Mhmm. I saw one once when I was bunking off of classes. I don't know where you were at the time, maybe detention for getting caught bunking off. Anyway, I laughed at her waddling. I guess I'd call this karma if I believed in such a thing" Missy said in a light tone. "I think you've done a lot worse that would warrant some bad karma than that." "That's true. Now, I guess we're heading off?" The Doctor nodded. Missy smirked, "can I go and wake lazy bones up?" "Well, one of us needs to. But be nice"


	20. Chapter twenty

Once Missy had made it out of the Doctor's line of vision, she set her sights on a door straight ahead. Behind that door was the only room in the Tardis that always remained unchanged. It was almost like an old storage room that contained things that were no longer of use but too sentimental to throw away. It was also where the Doctor kept all his Gallifreyan books and there was one book in particular that Missy had in mind. There was no way that the she had imagined Rassilon's voice. It was too real. Clara's questioning over what voices she had heard and the way she had looked at her when she arrived back in the Tardis confirmed it. Someone had spoken to Clara at the market and divulged information. But who had she spoken to and could they be trusted? Whoever it was had to be human, Missy hadn't picked up on a single scent of anything but humans and Time Lords. Closing her eyes, Missy groaned as another jolt of pain ran across her forehead. This time it didn't bring with it any voices, just memories. Resting her head against the cool of the door frame, she let the memories flash across her mind.

She could see the four walls of the prison cell, it was icy cold. Every time she breathed out, she could see it dancing in front of her. It was mocking her- we're free, we've escaped and you're still trapped. You're here forever, her escaped breath taunted her. There was an agonising pain that had ripped through her abdomen, crippling her movements and leaving her sat in a pool of her own blood. She wasn't alone, there was a small figure, pale with long dark hair that had been approaching her. "I'm on your side. I promise. Drink this water and we're going to get the Doctor soon." The figure had said in a surprisingly soothing voice. Missy had laughed bitterly at that, forgetting the debilitating pain for a second. The figure was draped in the robes of the High Council and had her backed into a corner in the prison cell. It was hard to believe that they were on her side. "No more doctors. Leave me alone. I'm tired and hurt, just let me be." She had begged, hating the weak sound of her voice, as she pushed the water away. "No, not faction doctors or High Council doctors. Your Doctor." That had made Missy look up. For a split second, she had thought the Doctor had regenerated into a female form too. They always had had an anything you can do, I can do better rivalry. But as she met the stranger's eyes, she realised it wasn't the Doctor but someone equally familiar. " Lady Me?" she croaked, watching as the girl's eyes twinkled. "That's right, Mistress. I'm here to help. It's my way of thanking you for the nuclear weapons."

Returning to her senses, Missy lifted her head and held onto door frame as she regained balance. All day, she had been starting to remember more about her imprisonment but this was the first time she had had a full blown flashback. Inconvenient and unpleasant it may have been, but it was also useful. The more she remembered, the more likely it would be that something useful would return. On this occasion, it looks like that may have happened. Lady Me, the immortal girl previously known as Ashildr that the Doctor had rescued in the throes of one of his moral crises, was working with the Time Lords. But she was working to sabotage their plan, not aid it. This was good news- having someone on the inside would prove beneficial. At this stage, Missy was confused about how their timelines had ever crossed. She remembered taking a bitter Ashildr under her wing after the Doctor had flown off and then helping her obtain weapons for some plan that never quite succeeded. Still, the details remained blurry. One thing she'd learned, though, when interacting with other immortals was that it wasn't worth asking too many questions. If Me was now on Gallifrey, she had managed to find some way of getting off of Earth. Quite a superior mode of transport if she had made it through the time lock. Unless, the Time Lords had decided that Me was of strategic use and found a way of getting her to Gallifrey. But with all the travelling the Time Lords and the UNIT faction had been doing between Gallifrey and Earth, maybe the time lock didn't exist anymore. Or maybe there was a new portal or some form of new technology that they had been using. There were so many possibilities and Missy would be lying if she said she wasn't excited at

figuring out exactly what was going on. If there was an easier way to get back to Gallifrey, she might be able return on her own terms and lead a revenge mission. She could barely contain her excitement at the thought of it, finally her chance to kill Rassilon and the whole sorry lot of them. She would feel none of the guilt that the Doctor had when she watched Gallifrey burn.

A nagging realisation struck Missy, throwing her plot into question. Lowering her hand to her stomach and brushing her thumb over the slight bump, she found herself whispering "I'm not alone anymore" as a powerful protectiveness surged through her body. Of course, she was under no illusions that she would be able to keep the child once it was born. Even if they managed to keep the baby from Rassilon's grasp, they would need to find a more suitable home for it. Missy wasn't mother material, she never would be. Anyway, she'd already had and lost one daughter and that was more than enough to endure. Whether she liked it or not, she had to carry this child for several months and that presented practical problems with leading a revenge attack. In a few months time, she'd be much larger and much slower- a sitting target.

"No, that doesn't matter. I'll find a way, it can be a challenge. I'm the Master, there's always a way. I'm happy to take the long road and play the waiting game" she concluded to herself. Yes, that was what she would do. Start the theoretical planning, maybe brainstorm some ideas. Then, when she was in a more suitable condition, she would carry out the practicalities. For now, she should return to what she came here for- the book. Then she can take the book to the Doctor, prove she was right and tell him what she remembered about Me. She just had to make sure she did it before they headed off to UNIT.

Opening the door, to the old storage room she was met with a wave of dust. Flicking the dust out of the way and making a beeline for the book collection situated at the back of the room, Missy quickly located the collection she was looking for. Running her finger along the third book in she read the name aloud A Guide to Time Lord Technology and Practices in Ensuring Compliance of Prisoners. That would be the one. "Missy, where are you?" the Doctor's voice echoed off the walls as she heard his footsteps making their way down the corridor. Damn it, she said she would be in the bedroom having a lie down. It doesn't matter now, not now she knew she was right and had the news about Me. Pulling the book off the shelf and fussing as a wave of dust made her sneeze, Missy headed for the door calling out "I'm in here, Doctor."


	21. Chapter twenty-one

The Doctor turned the corner upon hearing Missy's voice. Five minutes earlier, he had been mildly concerned about where she had gotten to when he found his bedroom empty. For a split second, he had thought that she had done a disappearing act but he quickly realised that he could still very much sense the presence of another Time Lord on board. The Doctor had then begun to worry about what she could be getting up to, but upon hearing a breezy response echo down the hall way, he had been reassured. "I thought you were going for a rest. What are you doing out here?" The Doctor asked cautiously, trying to prevent the suspicion leaking into his voice as he noted the room she was leaving and the book she was carrying. "I needed to look for something" Missy responded, weighing up whether or not to be completely honest with him. "I found it. An old Gallifreyan book. It'll prove that I was right about hearing Rassilon. You almost convinced me out of it before but the way Clara was talking earlier, the questions she was asking. There's something more to this- even a human can see that!" she held her hand up to the Doctor to prevent him from responding, fearing he was about to object to her assertions. "Don't. Don't you dare tell me I'm wrong. I know what I heard and I remembered something earlier. A memory from my time in imprisonment. It wasn't a particularly pleasant memory but it was a useful one. Lady Me was with the Time Lords, I remember her helping me. Remember her, the one you made immortal when you were prancing around playing fairy godmother a while back? Well she's actually turned out useful" Missy spat defensively. She hadn't meant to get herself so worked up and hadn't meant to snap at the Doctor but couldn't admit that to him now. The Doctor held his hands up defensively "I know. Well I only just found out actually, Lady Me sent a letter via the waiter and via Clara" he explained watching as Missy's eyebrows furrowed. "Why is nothing ever simple with you?" She asked after a moment, tucking the book under her arm. "That's rich coming from you!" he chuckled trying to lighten the mood but the atmosphere remained tense. "I think Clara's having a sneaky nap, she went off for a shower about an hour ago and I haven't heard from her since. Maybe we could take the chance to have a chat. Especially before all the craziness that comes with UNIT." Missy nodded, motioning for him to lead the way.

They made it into the library and sat next to each other on the sofa. "Do we have time for this conversation before we have to meet UNIT?" Missy asked as she opened up the book at the index page, tracing her finger down the list. "Time machine, Missy. I expect to have to explain it to the humans but not you!" he laughed, but the humour was lost on her as she became fully immersed in her reading. The atmosphere had taken an odd turn and that worried the Doctor when Missy was in this frame of mind. "I only just found out about Lady Me. I promise you" the Doctor said after a while, fearing that that was what was bothering her. "Just tell me what you know about Lady Me and what it means" Missy instructed looking up from her book briefly before creasing her forehead and returning to her Doctor looked over at her, considering lying but realising she'd see right through him. "Ashildr" he started, only to be quickly interrupted by Missy "her name is Me. Hasn't been Ashildr in years, Doctor. Always longing for a past that is long gone" she cooed. "You still call me Theta" he commented, "that's different. Now come on, get on with it." Resisting the urge to remind her that she interrupted him, the Doctor continued relaying Me's letter to Missy telling her about the tracker, Me working as a double agent and releasing Missy earlier than Rassilon had wanted.

"The tracking device, it's probably this' Missy said pointing at a glossary entry in the Gallifreyan book. "That's a new one for them. I should start writing my own book on all the weapons they've used on me. Ooh you could too then we could compare notes" she said lightly, an air of humour returning to her voice. The Doctor snorted slightly "It'd be a close race, but you'd win that one." "I know" she confirmed. "A lot of this is going to be a waiting game, isn't it?" Missy said after a moment. The Doctor nodded "Rassilon will be binding his time until the baby's birth, he wants you to give birth on Gallifrey so that they can start creating the army straight away. They must be getting desperate in the War to go to these measures. It'll be years before the child is able to fight" the Doctor trailed off, voice cracking. Missy looked at him sympathetically, the War brought bad memories for both of them. Taking his hand in hers, she traced her thumb across his knuckles, "they've been desperate for a long time. They're creating other weapons too, all the time. This is just their pièce de résistance. It can torture both of us and be of use to them strategically." The Doctor recovered his composure and nodded "you're right. We can do something about the UNIT faction, though, work to try and disable the tracker." Missy nodded "I'm in for a good few months then" she half joked. "We are in it together. Come on, we are going to have to face this sooner or later so better get going" Missy bit her lip to avoid reminding the Doctor that it was her that had to carry the child and her that had the tracking device inside her head.

"I'm going to get changed before we go" Missy said as she stood up. "All the earth girls you take on board must have left something suitable behind?" "Yeah, of course, come on. I've got some spare things in my bedroom. Are you uncomfortable then?" He asked curiously, she'd been remarkably guarded about the pregnancy and he was worried she was in denial about it. Missy looked up at him "a little bit" she confessed. "I was hoping to make the corset trans dimensional. I like these clothes, you know, but I haven't had the time or energy and needs must" she finished with a shrug. The Doctor just nodded, "you'll be back in your old clothes in no time, but for now I have these bits you can borrow" he said as he passed her a pair of tracksuit bottoms and long sleeved top. Missy, who had begun to remove her many items of clothing, accepted the clothes with a nod of her head. She pulled the top over her head and the Doctor's eyes were drawn down to the way the material clung to the small bump in her centre. Missy's condition was much more evident when her layers of clothing were taken away and they both realised it. Missy's hand hovered over the bump, not quite touching it, "how didn't I notice this the first night I arrived?" she asked. The Doctor wasn't sure whether or not she wanted the question was rhetorical. He answered anyway. "I didn't notice either. Not even when I changed your clothes" he offered as he watched her pull on the tracksuit bottoms. "It's not your body though" she sighed, reviewing her new look in the mirror. It was less than satisfactory. "Do you have a jumper or something?" she asked after a moment. Anything to cover her growing abdomen. The Doctor walked over to the chest of drawers and pulled out a rugby jumper he'd acquired somewhere along the line, throwing it over to her. He knew she didn't want it for warmth, so wasn't too concerned about it's light cotton material. Missy pulled it over her head, smiling as the bump, for now, disappeared under the green shirt. The Doctor looked over at her sadly, knowing she wouldn't be able to cover it so easily for much longer. "Your memory was wiped and you were confused when you first arrived here. Anyway, our people haven't reproduced in this way for centuries. In our lifetimes, it was very rare and in the remote villages. I don't recall ever seeing a pregnant Time Lord." The Doctor mused. "Mhmm. I saw one once when I was bunking off of classes. I don't know where you were at the time, maybe detention for getting caught bunking off. Anyway, I laughed at her waddling. I guess I'd call this karma if I believed in such a thing" Missy said in a light tone. "I think you've done a lot worse that would warrant some bad karma than that." "That's true. Now, I guess we're heading off?" The Doctor nodded. Missy smirked, "can I go and wake lazy bones up?" "Well, one of us needs to. But be nice"


	22. Chapter twenty-two

"The Tower of London?" Henry asked, astounded as he stared at his wife. "Are you sure this is the headquarters?" Henry and Lady Me were standing at the entrance of the Tower of London. It was a particularly sunny day for London in early May and Me had to shield her eyes from the sun's glare as she shot her husband a disparaging look. "I tell you I'm eternal and can make you eternal too, that we can travel the stars and all of time together and you believe me wholeheartedly. I tell you this is where the headquarters is and you question my wisdom?" Henry shirked away from Me, it didn't matter that he had known her centuries and was well aware that her bark was worse than her bite, when she gave him a look like that shivers still ran down his spine. And not the good type of shivers that ran down his spine when she gave him a different look. "I was only asking if you were sure" he replied meekly with a shrug as his eyes suspiciously scanned over the Tower. "I'm 100% sure" Me answered bluntly, "now come on." Henry nodded as he followed Me inside. "I can't pick up on any temporal energy, so we should still make it before they arrive" Me informed him. "I'll take your word for it. So when was the last time you actually spoke to the Doctor?" Lady Me ran her hand across the hallway "um, I think it was around the 17th century. I'd formed a questionable alliance and he had to sort it out. Well, that's the short story anyway. You know, it is a wonder that it took me as long as it did to meet the Master, given the similarities. Although, I doubt that she'd appreciate the comparison what with my mainly human heritage." "Mhm" Henry said as they turned the corner, approaching the entrance to UNIT HQ. "I'm not sure I like the idea of those similarities from the things I've heard about that maniac."

Lady Me turned on her heel. She had long been concerned about what Henry had thought of her past; spent hours agonising over her guilt. Of course, things Me had done over the years hadn't come close to Missy's crimes. A few murders and theft didn't come close to genocide of whole races and planetary annihilation. But, had Me carried on down the same path, she could easily have ended up in the same category as Missy. Since marrying Henry, Me's life had taken a turn for the better; she couldn't imagine her life without him and giving him the second immortality patch had been the best decision of her life. So, while Me still lived with her guilt everyday, she had learnt to accept it as a part of her. Henry and Me's life together had been nearly perfect, but there was one thing missing. Both of them longed for children, but Me had been adamant that she would not have any more children only to watch them die. When she'd heard about the Mistress' predicament, however, she couldn't help but feel they would reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

In the Tardis console room, the Doctor and Clara stood hovering in the doorway waiting for Missy to return from her bedroom. "Doctor, we've been here ten minutes now, Kate's going to have seen the Tardis. We need to go" Clara sighed, motioning to the door. "Go and get Missy." The Doctor shook his head, running a hand through his silver curls. It had all been going smoothly up until around ten minutes ago. Missy had woken Clara up, they had all laughed at Clara's bed head and then made their way to the console room. The Doctor had been keeping a cautious eye on Missy, who had grown quieter the whole journey to UNIT HQ and then announced she needed something from the bedroom and disappeared off. Now, as both Clara and the Doctor stood anxiously waiting in the corridor, there was still no sign of her. "I know" the Doctor conceded, "she's scared. She knows she's going to be checked over and is having to come to terms with the fact this is really happening." Clara's expression softened and she found herself wondering when she had come to care about Missy. "Look" she started, "you go and get her and I'll explain to Kate what is going on. Okay?" The Doctor nodded, thanking Clara quickly before heading down the corridor to find Missy.

When Clara stepped outside the Tardis, she was surprised to see not only Kate and Osgood waiting to greet her, but Ashildr and Henry too. Suddenly, it all clicked into place for Clara. "Ashildr, you're the old friend of the Doctor's that Henry was talking about!" Clara exclaimed, unable to hide her happiness at seeing Ashildr again. "I am, although I go by the name of Me now" Me smiled, making her way to hug clara. Kate coughed awkwardly on the sidelines, "I see you have met eachother then" Kate started "It was a bit of a surprise to us when Me showed up, we knew nothing of her, but apparently she's been working as a double agent and has information that can help us." Clara turned her attention back to Kate, "oh surely you've learnt by now not to be surprised by anything in the Doctor's world?" Clara laughed while Kate conceded with a "you'd have thought so, wouldn't you?" After a few seconds Kate spoke up again, "speaking of the Doctor, where exactly is he?" Clara glanced back at the Tardis, "he'll be out in a minute, Missy's, well I don't think Missy's doing great to be honest. She's nervous about being checked over and is realising the severity of the situation. When we landed, she retreated back into the Doctor's bedroom and hadn't come out. He's gone to try and coax her out." Clara admitted. Kate wasn't surprised that Missy wasn't coping. She had seen her breakdown when she found out about the pregnancy. "Okay" Kate said, "do you think it'll be easier if we go and wait in the conference room next door? It'll be less pressure for her, than when we're all standing here watching." Clara nodded and they all made their way next door. "I have to ask Clara" Kate spoke just above a whisper so only Clara could hear, "is Missy going to be a risk to my staff or anyone in this building?" Clara thought the question over. In truth, there was no way of telling but she had seen how subdued Missy had been and the threats the Doctor had made to her if she stepped out of line. "I can't be sure" Clara sighed, "but she's not well- the things the UNIT faction and the Time Lords have done to her have had a huge impact. The Doctor has also warned her to behave. I know that doesn't sound like much, but she is terrified of losing him." Kate nodded, for now that was good enough for her. "I'll text the Doctor and let him know where we are and not rush" Kate said, taking out her phone and typing out her text.


	23. Chapter twenty-three

The Doctor was currently sat outside his bedroom, leaning against the door and trying to convince Missy to come out. So far, he was having no luck. "Missy, sweetheart, I know you're scared but please come out. I'm going to be with you the whole time, you can't stay in there forever." The Doctor spoke softly, straining to listen for a response. For a while, when he heard nothing, he had been worried she was hurt or had done something stupid. However, he soon heard her crying on the other side and talking to herself quietly. No doubt, Rassilon was trying out his new device again and it was causing havoc with her already unstable mind. The Doctor was about to try and get her to open the door voluntarily one last time when he felt his phone vibrate in his hand. It was just Kate, informing him that they had given them some space and not to rush. That took a little bit of pressure off and the Doctor returned his attention back to Missy. "I can hear you talking to yourself, are the voices back?" He pressed, receiving no answer. Raising to his feet and reaching for his sonic- he was going to have to force his way in.

Aiming the device at the door and pushing it open, the Doctor found Missy crumpled on the floor in the corner in much the same way she had been the previous night. "Oh Missy" he sighed, walking over to her and kneeling in front of her. "I was trying to be strong" she muttered, wide eyes looking up at him alarmed as she backed away from him. "But I can hear his voice and now this thing growing inside of me is starting to form a connection in my mind and the memories are all coming back. There are so many things going on inside my head, I don't know what to do" she cried, continuing to back away, only stopping when she hit the wall. "Please don't come any closer. Please don't, there's no where for me to go" Missy mumbled, scrunching her head into her hands. The Doctor cautiously stepped away, hating the way she was shaking and growing smaller in front of him. He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up into his arms, but she was terrified of him coming closer to her. The Doctor had seen her like this before and knew that she could lash out and end up hurting both of them; he decided to back up a little and give her some space. "I'm not going to hurt you and I'm not going to come any closer. But listen to me, take a few deep breaths, Missy. In and out, nice and steadily" he coaxed, watching her relax slightly and try and steady her breathing.

After a while, the shaking subsided but tears continued running down her face. It was then that the Doctor noticed the blade she was holding and the deep cuts to her forearm, she must have taken it from the kitchen earlier when she'd gone off for some alone time. He should have kept a closer eye on her and he would be from now on. "Missy" he spoke calmly, trying to maintain her attention "I know you can hear lots of different voices at the moment and it must be so confusing for you but can you try really hard to focus on my voice." He wasn't sure if it would work, but he knew it had done in the past. After a few seconds, Missy looked up at him brows furrowed in confusion. "Doctor?" She asked hesitantly, raising her head. "That's right, Missy, it's me. Can you put down that knife, sweetheart? I'm not angry with you, I just don't want you to hurt yourself anymore" the Doctor said gently, releasing a sigh of relief as she dropped the knife and he quickly pushed it out of her reach. "Good girl, well done. Now, can I see your arm?" He asked, watching Missy gingerly hold out her arm. "I just wanted the voices to stop. I didn't know how to make them stop" she muttered. "Everything was so loud. I can't go out there, I can't let them see me like this. Can't we just stay here, me and you, just like the old days? Please, Theta, please. I just really wanted the voices to stop. Please don't be angry with me, I didn't know how else to stop the voices." The Doctor examined the cuts as Missy rambled and begged, growing more unstable and incoherent by the second. There were no serious injuries to her arm and so he turned his attention to settling her. "I know you wanted the voices to stop, I'm not angry with you. I'm so sorry, I thought you were coping. I should have kept a closer eye on you" he admitted, brushing his thumb along Missy's forehead in an attempt to pick up on some of what was bothering her, to understand what it was she wasn't able to articulate to him. It was no use, there was just jumbled flashes of pain and voices and a faint double heart beat of the young Time Tot growing inside her. "Now, Missy, we've got to go out there. We'll go together and this is for your own good" he soothed, watching her settle slightly. "I was coping but then I started to think about the hospital and the voices came back and the memories and I didn't know what to do. I knew you and Clara were waiting for me but I couldn't find my way away from all the dark thoughts" she confessed and the Doctor was pleased to see that she was more coherent. "Okay, I think until you're a bit more stable it's a good idea to stay near me or maybe Clara in case you get like that again. What do you think? I don't want you to feel that scared again while you're on your own." Missy nodded, shakily "I don't want to be that scared on my own again" she parroted. The Doctor took her hands and squeezed them reassuringly, offering her a warm smile. "Have the voices stopped?" He asked cautiously watching as she was still curled in on herself, nervously surveying the room. "Most of them" she replied, "Rassilon's not there anymore, but a few of the memories are and the...the thing inside me it's reaching out to me. I can feel it trying to talk to me." Missy explained, looking up at the Doctor as though he could fix it. He wished he could. "I'm glad Rassilon's not in your head anymore. Sweetheart, I know this is scary, but it's a baby growing inside you. It's not reaching out to hurt you like Rassilon is, the baby is just trying to reach it's mummy. I've read that Time Tots connect early with their mother" the Doctor tried to explain. "Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot!" Missy snapped "I know what it is, but I don't want it. I never wanted it and now I have no say in it." The Doctor stood his ground, trying not to take offense to Missy's outburst. "I'm sorry, I'm only trying to help" he said after a minute had passed and Missy had calmed down. "I know" Missy replied "I'm just scared that if I let my shields down enough for the...the baby to communicate with me then it'll be easier for the drums and Rassilon and all the other awful things to come back in" she stated, hand hovering just over her swelling abdomen. The Doctor sighed. Missy looked terrified of what was growing inside her, she couldn't even bring herself to touch her bump. "It's understandable that you would be scared about that but you're going to be with either me or Clara for a while so we won't leave you alone to the voices. We'll be able to see if things are bad and do something to help you." Missy nodded hesitantly, "and" the Doctor continued, "later me and you can sit down calmly and try and find a way of making you feel comfortable with the psychic connection between you and the baby." Missy looked at the Doctor with even more hesitation, she was less sure of this idea but if the Doctor would be there with her then maybe that would be worth a try. "Okay, maybe" she said, starting to stand up and brush down her clothes. "Are you ready to head out there?" the Doctor asked cautiously, holding his arm out to Missy who nodded in response. "Good, we're going to get through this" he assured, attempting to sound upbeat. It wasn't something that came easy in this regeneration. Missy didn't reply, and the Doctor watched her retreat into herself as they walked the rest of the way in silence.

Clara was the first to see the two Time Lords approaching and informed the rest of the room. She still couldn't get over how tiny and vulnerable Missy looked when her eccentric clothing and make up were stripped away. "God" Kate exclaimed "she looks so human." Clara nodded, "she does but I wouldn't say that to her if you value your life." As the door opened the Doctor walked in first closely followed by Missy who was tightly holding onto his arm, afraid he would disappear. When the humans turned around to face them, he felt Missy's weight grow heavier against him as though she was about to buckle under the pressure. I've got you Missy he reassured telepathically as he guided her into the room, deciding it was best to get her seated as soon as possible. She'd been silent the whole way there and now she was refusing to make eye contact with even him. He received no reply from her, which was not surprising, but he carried on reassuring her anyway. Come on now, you sit there right between Clara and I he told her as he sat her down, meeting Clara's eyes as he did so and then took his own seat. The room had fallen silent, no one- apart from Clara- could quite believe that the withdrawn figure that had just walked in was Missy. "Doctor, thank you for coming" Kate said as warmly as she could manage, before turning to Missy. Kate had prepared a whole warning speech aimed at Missy, warning her that she was helping her because she was a friend of the Doctor's but if she stepped out of line, there would be consequences. Looking at Missy, now, however, Kate couldn't bring herself to say any of those things. "Missy", Kate started, "this must be so hard for you but we're going to try and help you as much as we can. We've got a Doctor in the hospital wing that has said he'll check you over and see everything we're dealing with." Missy looked up at Kate and then quickly back down. How she preferred it when she was able to make these idiots run around terrified. She considered formulating a sarcastic reply but didn't have the energy; she felt nauseous and had a terrible ache in her back. If she didn't hate this species enough already, their pregnancy process was enough to push her over the edge. How she'd love to kill everyone of them right now. Instead, she nodded without looking up at Kate. The Doctor turned to face Missy, pleased to see that she had at least responded to Kate. "Thank you Kate. So what's the plan of action?" The Doctor asked, surveying the room and surprised to see Me was there. "Well, I can go over the case files of what was going on in the UNIT faction with you and then take you down to meet Gordon Reeves, the faction leader." At the mention of the faction leader, Missy's eyes shot up and an involuntary whimper left her lips. Flashes of Gordon's face laughing down at her after she'd been drugged and restrained. Gordon's hands around her throat, his fingers tracing the outline of her jaw and ripping her of her underwear. It was humiliating- a human had managed to hurt her over and over again. Of course, he wouldn't have stood a chance if she hadn't been weakened by the Time Lords and drugged. When she saw him, she would kill him. She would kill him slowly and painfully and watch all the blood drain from him drop by drop. "Are you okay, Missy?" the Doctor asked, taking her hand. Missy nodded, returning to her silence and pushing her memories aside. "I would suggest, Doctor, that Missy should go down to the hospital wing to be checked over while we discuss this." Kate suggested, knowing that the files were full of detailed accounts of what the faction and the Time Lords had done to Missy. "No" Missy whispered in Gallifreyan, looking straight at the Doctor, "you said you'd be there at the hospital. Whenever I'm in a hospital they do tests and experiments. They might do that again if you're not there. They want to punish me for my crimes. They might drug me again, they'll hurt me if the drug me again", The Doctor sighed, as he watched Missy grow more unsettled again. "Kos, I've told you it won't be like that this time. Those other places aren't really hospitals but I understand why you're scared." Missy looked at the Doctor, shaking her head "you promised you'd be there. I can't do this on my own."

Lady Me, understanding part of the conversation after picking up a bit a tiny bit of Gallifreyan during her time working with the High Council, came up with what she considered a reasonable solution. "Kate's right, Missy shouldn't be here while we're going over the UNIT files but it would be best if the Doctor was there with her while she is being checked over. So, why don't Clara and I take Missy down to the hospital wing and get settled. Then, the Doctor can join us afterwards" Me suggested, half expecting Missy to shout at her for being so patronising. Kate nodded, motioning to the Doctor to gauge what he thought. "What do you think about that, Missy?" The Doctor asked, watching as Missy appeared to drift between being present in the room and caught up somewhere else. Missy, come on, I know this is hard but please don't shut down on me the Doctor pressed telepathically. "We don't have to go to a hospital room straight away, Missy" Clara suggested after a few seconds of silence. "How about we go down to one of the private rooms downstairs and you can meet the doctor before being checked over. You'll only go into the medical room once the Doctor is finished talking to Kate." The Doctor smiled over at Clara and then he returned his attention back to Missy. "That's a good idea, what do you say?" Missy looked up at the Doctor, locking onto his eyes and trying to steady herself, "Clara will walk down with me?" She asked and the Doctor nodded. "And they won't make me go to the hospital part without you?" The Doctor shook his head, "absolutely not." "Okay then" Missy agreed reluctantly, standing up shakily and waiting for Clara to lead the way. "Come on then, Missy" Clara said, finding it strange speaking to her like she was a child. It was clear that everything was suddenly hitting her and Clara kept thinking about the Doctor telling her Missy had had previous breakdowns.

Once Missy and Clara were out of the conference room, the Doctor thanked Me for her help. "Thanks for this, Me. That was a good suggestion of yours" he said as she made her way to the door to join Clara and Missy. "No problem old man. Though I did think she was going to hit me for being so patronising." The Doctor laughed, "in normal circumstances she probably would have done. She's not well at the moment. Speaking of which, will you and Clara get her to try and talk a bit? I can see she's shutting down again. It can be about anything- just try and get her out of her shell a bit." Me nodded, "that's never something I thought I'd hear anyone say about the Mistress but of course. Although, Clara may be better at the small talk than me" she smiled, turning to leave. "Oh and Me" the Doctor added, "we'll have a proper catch up later on, okay?" Me smiled and nodded "sure thing, Doctor. We have a few things to catch up on."

Turning back to the conference room, the Doctor sat opposite Kate and noticed that Osgood and Henry had vacated the room. "I thought it would be best to go over things privately" Kate offered, noting the Doctor's expression. The Doctor nodded, "I don't want to be away from Missy too long, not when she's like this." Kate poured out two glasses of water and passed one to the Doctor, "that's understandable. She's not coping then?" The Doctor shook his head, with a sigh. "I have to ask, Doctor" Kate started, "is she going to be a risk to my staff?" The Doctor bit his tongue, suppressing the urge to shout at Kate telling her that, right now, Missy was more a risk to herself than anyone else. The fact was Missy's mood could switch at the flip of a hat and he couldn't promise anything. He did know, however, she was scared of losing him and if it came to it he could use that to his advantage. "At the moment, Kate, she's scared and that could cause her to lash out. But, I've warned her that if she steps out of line, there will be consequences." Kate exhaled slowly, "with all due respect, that's never stopped her in the past" "I know" the Doctor conceded "but I will take responsibility for her if anything happens." Kate nodded, "right so let's get down to business. Here are the files detailing what the Time Lords had agreed with the UNIT faction. There are details on what they did to Missy and others in the prisons." The Doctor read over the notes, realising that most of it was what he had guessed anyway. By the looks of it, Missy was transferred off planet to Gallifrey when she first became pregnant. However, her body rejected several attempts and she miscarried several times. The Doctor took a sharp breath when he read that there had been three stillbirths and the babies had had to be ripped from the Mistress' arms while she sobbed. "Are you okay, Doctor?" Kate asked, noting his expression. "Yes, I was just reading about the stillbirths. It would explain one of the reasons she's so reluctant to bond with the baby this time" the Doctor explained, realising that even though the baby had been forced upon Missy, it was still her own flesh and she always had been fiercely protective. She would have taken the stillbirths as a personal failure, once she had understood what had happened. "It's hard reading, I know. There are some videos from the prison CCTV as well, but I wouldn't recommend watching them" Kate informed the Doctor, taking a sip of water. "She hasn't told me any of this. She hasn't really told me anything that happened there" the Doctor noted sadly. "She probably doesn't remember" Kate offered, "she didn't remember at first, but she's started to remember more the longer she's away from Gallifrey. Before we came out here, she was complaining about hearing voices and that the memories were coming back. That was probably what she was remembering" the Doctor sighed, suddenly understanding her earlier distress if all of these memories were bombarding her. "Probably" Kate acknowledged "look, I know you want to get back to her as soon as you can so let's go down and meet with Reeves. Have you had any breakthroughs on your end with the Time Lords?" "Okay" the Doctor said as both him and Kate made their way down the hallway to the holding cells where they were keeping Reeves. "And no, not particularly. I presume Me has filled you in about the tracking device that Rassilon planted in Missy's brain. Other than that, no." Kate nodded, "well hopefully we can make some progress with Reeves."

"Gordon, wakey wakey" Kate said as she opened the cell door, "how are you enjoying your stay?" Gordon sat up blearily looking at Kate and then the Doctor. "Oh you know, the food could be better" Gordon replied sarcastically. "But I see you've bought me the Doctor, so it's getting better." The Doctor joined Kate in the room, both of them taking a seat opposite Gordon. "Right, cut to the chase Gordon, what is it you want?" the Doctor said sternly having little patience for the man. "How's your girlfriend, Doctor?" Gordon teased, unintimidated by the Doctor. "What?" The Doctor snarled, angry eyebrows raised. "Missy- you do love her don't you? She certainly loves you. Screamed for you throughout the tortures. Sometimes we'd even hear her crying for you in her sleep. It was hilarious, the all mighty Master sniveling like a baby for her Doctor. Not the first time she's been like this, though, is it? She's always been a bit of a twisted mess. Oh and all that rubbish you Time Lords spout about being above the base urges of humans- she certainly wasn't complaining when she helped me fulfill my base urges. I mean, granted, she was still a bit woozy from the drugs and a little bit tied up but I could tell she loved it." Gordon laughed. The Doctor rose to his feet, anger boiling, only to be held back by Kate. He swallowed back bile as he realised what Gordon had done to Missy; he knew how much that would hurt her and naturally so. She had only ever been intimate with him and to have all her control and will taken away would have been horrific for her. It also got him thinking about the parentage of the child Missy was carrying, if the child was in fact half human it would have made the pregnancy more compatible. The Doctor pushed that thought to the back of his mind for the time being.

"Don't give him what he wants" Kate said, drawing the Doctor out of his thoughts. Turning her attention back to Gordon, she warned "you have our attention and we've brought you the Doctor so start to co-operate or we'll lock you away and throw away the key. You're not nearly as powerful as you think you are." Kate said, relieved that the Doctor had calmed down. "What do you want to know?" Gordon sighed, looking at his nails. "What is the plan of the UNIT faction and the Time Lords?" the Doctor asked, glaring at Gordon. "I thought you'd already figured it out" Gordon mocked, rolling his eyes. "We know that the Time Lords are trying to create a new army to fight in the Time War. What I can't figure out is why that is of any interest to the faction." The Doctor pressed, resisting the urge to shout at Gordon. "Well, Doctor, the UNIT faction wanted to build a better defence against alien attacks. We couldn't rely on you all the time and by testing our new punishments and weapons on some of the universe's biggest threats we were able to make real progress." The Doctor nodded, "fine and how did this lead to you working with the Time Lords?" "Well, the Time Lords gave Missy to Kate and said we could test on her until she became pregnant. We couldn't turn down the opportunity of testing on the Master" Gordon said matter of factly. The Doctor sighed, "you do realise, of course, that you are pawns in this game. They were just using you as a cover while they needed it and now couldn't care less about your little faction." Turning his attention back to Kate, "I'm done here. I need to go and see Missy" the Doctor said, opening the cell door. "Ooh, give her a kiss from me Doctor" Gordon said with a wink as the Doctor left the cell.

In a lounge downstairs, Missy, Clara and Me were sat quietly. Clara had prepared them all some cups of tea and both Me and Clara had nearly finished their cups. Missy, however, was sat scratching her arms and nervously surveying the room. She was nervous and couldn't think straight, jumping from one thought to another in no particular order. What if this had been a trick? A way of getting her back to the faction or the Time Lords' prison. She couldn't go back there, she'd rather die. Missy carried on scratching at her arms, picking at the newly forming scabs on her forearm and drawing blood. "The Doctor asked us to try and get her to talk a bit" Me whispered to Clara as they exchanged concerned glances. All they had managed to get out of her so far was a nod or periodically asking if the Doctor was coming back yet. She had reverted to speaking Gallifreyan, seemingly forgetting where she was. "That's what we've been trying, though" Clara said with an exasperated sigh. "Missy" Clara began again, catching sight of the blood, "don't make yourself bleed. I know you're nervous but you really don't need to be. No one here is going to hurt you. Why don't you finish that tea before it goes cold?" Missy nodded, sniffing the tea to check it wasn't spiked. "I can trust you, can't I? I'm too tired to fight but I will if I have to. You're not going to trick me are you?" Missy asked, deciding that the thoughts were too intense and she couldn't not vocalise them. "You can trust us, Missy" Me said gently, walking to kneel down in front of Missy and keen to keep her talking. "Do you remember when one of the pregnancies failed while you were at the prison in Gallifrey? I gave you some water and helped you get cleaned up?" Missy nodded reluctantly and the two other women could see she was turning it over in her mind. "I think so" she said eventually, "that was when I was bleeding and it hurt so much I couldn't stand up. I didn't understand what was happening." It dawned on Clara for the first time that Missy didn't understand anything to do with human pregnancy and the fact that this was happening to her body without any understanding must have been terrifying. The Doctor had explained to Clara earlier that Time Lords had no cultural understanding of this type of reproduction; most Time Tots had been loomed for generations. "Yes, that's the time I'm talking about Missy" Me said, face softening as she realised she had to explain what had happened. "That was when you had a miscarriage and I gave you some water, helped you get changed and sat with you until you were a bit better. Now, doesn't that prove that you can trust me? Why would I help you, if I was going to turn you back in? You can trust all of us " Me reasoned, watching Missy eye her suspiciously. "I guess so" she conceded, not entirely convinced. "It'll be okay to have this tea. I can have a bit of the tea" she rambled, more to herself as she reached for the mug in front of her and hovered her other hand over her abdomen. Clara and Me exchanged glances, Missy had been repeating that action over and over. The only time that she had dared to touch her stomach was to claw at it muttering that she wanted it out. "It's okay to touch the bump, Missy" Me said gently as she watched Missy and remembered her own pregnancies with a sad fondness. Missy looked up, startled out of whatever world she had retreated into, her eyes darted from Me to Clara and she moved both her hands around her cup of tea. "I don't want to touch it" Missy whispered in Gallifreyan and Me could just about understand her. "She said she doesn't want to touch it" Me informed Clara, before turning to Missy "speak English, please, Missy we can't understand you very well." "Yeah- we're only human, most of us can only get our heads around one Earth language and three tenses" Clara added, remembering how mocking humans usually gained a response from Missy. There was no luck this time, however. "Sorry" Missy said quietly taking another sip of her tea. "It's okay" Clara smiled as she sat next to Missy, who watched her warily out of the corner of her eye. "Missy, you said that you didn't understand what was happening when you miscarried, that's because you don't reproduce in the same way on Gallifrey?" Clara said carefully, trying to find a way that her and Me could explain human pregnancy and make her feel more comfortable and less fearful of what was happening. Missy nodded, "this is primitive. We use looms" she muttered as she placed her cup back on the table. "Okay, well, I haven't had children but I know a bit about pregnancy and Me has had children" Clara said, watching Me tense at the mention of her children and feeling slightly guilty. "Is there anything you'd like us to explain to you? Maybe to make you feel a bit more settled with what is going on." Missy looked from Clara to Me and back again, "no. Not right now." Clara nodded, "Okay, but if you do, you only need to ask."

The three of them fell back into a silence for a few minutes until a beeping from the horn of a large lorry outside broke through. Missy jumped at the sound, inwardly scolding herself when she realised its origin. This was pathetic, she was jumping at every little sound and couldn't think straight. It got even more pathetic when both Me and Clara rushed to console her, they were practically children. Even as she thought over how pathetic she was being, Missy still couldn't stop her hands from shaking. "London can be noisy, Missy, it was just a noise from outside. Nothing to worry about" Clara said calmly, wary of the vacant look in the Time Lady's eyes. Not as noisy as the Time War, Missy thought to herself, instantly regretting it as flashbacks hit her and she let a small cry leave her lips. "Is the Doctor coming back yet?" She asked realising how much she needed him back now. The two human women sighed, "he won't be long Missy. You're safe with us though" Clara soothed, in the same way she had done every other time Missy had asked. For a minute, Missy looked as though she was about to respond but the opening of the door made her jump once more and in walked not her Doctor, but young Dr Chang.

"Hello" Dr Chang spoke with a forced cheerfulness that made all three women look up. "I'm Dr Chang and I said to Kate that I would be you doctor, Missy." Clara's mouth dropped open, "wait a minute" she said, "weren't you at 3W? Didn't you get...well, killed?" She asked, looking him up and down. Dr Chang shook his head slightly, "That was all part of the illusion set up by the Time Lords" he said, "I was told Kate would explain it to you." Clara nodded, "I'm sure she would have done, but she hasn't had much of a chance. Mi-" she started to explain and changed her mind in case Missy took offense, "things have been unsettled." Dr Chang nodded, understanding what she meant. "Anyway, I thought I would come down here and introduce myself before you came down to the hospital" reaching his hand out and realising that Missy didn't remember him at all. Too much time had passed. All of a sudden, Missy jumped up and backed away from him into the corner of the room. "No, no" she shouted, "why did you lie to me? You said I wouldn't have to go to the hospital without Theta. You've been lying to me the whole time. You said it wasn't a trick and that I could trust you." Dr Chang looked around surprised by her outburst, while Me told him not to worry. "Missy" Clara approached "we're not going to make you go to the hospital. Dr Chang was only coming down to introduce himself so there wouldn't be any surprises when you do go there." Missy raised her arms as Clara approached, "don't come any closer Clara, I will hurt you" Missy hissed suddenly becoming defensive. "Okay" Clara said, raising her hands and backing away, "why don't you take a few minutes to calm down. But I promise you, you won't even leave this room until the Doctor is back." Missy glared at her, "that's what they always say and then whoops there's a needle in you and you're strapped down to a bed while they rip you apart and pump you full of experimental drugs." Missy shouted maniacally, grabbing the cups from the sideboard and throwing them onto the floor; laughing with tearful eyes as they shattered into tiny pieces and the humans jumped back. Well done, Mistress, I'm sure they won't think you're crazy or a risk to them now. Rassilon's voice crept back into her mind, mocking her. But it is good to see you're so feisty still- even when you're 'not well'. That's what they're calling it, isn't it? If we call every little crazy spell of yours you being 'unwell' , then you've never been well in your life. The voice continued, mocking her. "Shut up. Just shut up!" Missy shouted, cradling her head in her hands. "No one said anything, Missy" Clara said gently, not knowing quite how to react to the sudden outburst. At that, Missy began laughing more hysterically, tears streaming down her face "of course you can't hear, no one ever can. You can't hear the drums or his voice. It's just Missy being crazy again" Am I getting to you that much, Mistress? Dear, oh dear. Now where's that Doctor of yours? Is he choosing the humans over you again. Some things never change. Why don't I distract you? You're starting to remember more about your imprisonment on Gallifrey aren't you? Do you remember when you birthed that dead child? I think it's funny, you're saying you're disgusted by having the child growing inside you but it took so many failed attempts for a successful pregnancy. None of them wanted you as a mother. No surprises there, though, everyone remembers what a shambles you made when you actually chose to have a child. She died too, didn't she? I must say I was surprised to see you crying over the recent dead child. Were you just overwhelmed and exhausted, it was quite a traumatic birth. Missy paled and fell silent as Rassilon assaulted her psyche with numerous bad memories she had forgotten about. "Please stop it" she whispered "stop taunting me."

At that moment, the Doctor walked into the room surveying the scene he found. Missy was in the far corner of the room surrounded by a shattering of broken cups while three humans were stood by trying to calm her down. "What's going on?" He asked into the room. Me turned around, relieved by his timely return "she freaked out when Dr Chang came down to introduce himself. Thought we were going to trick her into going to the hospital without you. She hadn't been great up to that point, to be honest, just kept asking for you and was suspicious of everyone else." The Doctor nodded, hearing what he had half expected. "Has she hurt anyone?" Me shook her head, "she warned Clara to get back otherwise she would hurt her but then just threw the cups to the floor. She started hearing voices again" Me shrugged. The Doctor relaxed realising she hadn't hurt anyone. "Okay. I shouldn't be away from her too long. Not when she's like this. It's not fair on her or you lot." He said before making his way over to Missy. He directed Clara to step back so they weren't crowding Missy, who he could see was struggling to breathe calmly. "Kos" the Doctor started, "I'm right here. I'm back now, I'm sorry I was so long." He said gently, watching her return from her trance like state biting her lower lip. Her cheeks were still damp and her eyes were puffy from crying. "Theta?" She said cautiously, voice quivering "he came back and he was showing me more of the memories. I remembered the dead baby before this one. It hurt so much and I had no drugs and there was so much blood. I screamed for help and I screamed for you but they just kept laughing, laughing, laughing. Then the..the baby wasn't breathing. I kept holding it and rocking it and trying to wake it up but it wouldn't wake up and then they took it away from me and accused me of doing it on purpose. They said it was no use killing the baby because they'd just keep trying until one was successful." The Doctor sighed, she must have started remembering the stillbirths and everything he had read about in the files. He wondered if she remembered what had happened with Gordon. Recalling her reaction to the mention of him earlier, he guessed she had. "I know, sweetheart. I was reading the files. Rassilon's just trying to get in you head. Those are horrible memories and if I'd known you were screaming for me I would have been there in an instant. Come on now, why don't you come and sit down with me? We can talk this through, me and you. " He said, holding his hand out and watching Missy jump slightly as she heard the sound of the cups cracking under her foot as she stepped forward. "How did that get there?" She asked nervously, when she realised the origin of the noise. "They just got knocked over, Missy. Just a little accident" he said not wanting to confuse her by explaining it was her in an outburst. The Doctor watched as Missy nodded cautiously, brows furrowing as Rassilon's voice broke through her mind again. Oh Mistress, don't you remember throwing the cups like a toddler having a strop? This is too precious. "Stop it. Stop talking, go away" she stammered, reaching out for the Doctor. "I'm right here, Missy. Just listen to my voice. We're going to sit down together" the Doctor soothed guiding her into a seat on the sofa and kneeling down in front of her. "Are you with me sweetheart?" He asked, squeezing her hands lightly and smiling reassuringly. In the background, the three humans began cleaning up the shreds of broken cups in the corner and tried to give the two Time Lords some space. The Doctor watched as Missy's eyes met his and she scrunched up her face crying and burying herself into his chest. The Doctor realised she was crashing back down to reality. Rubbing her back lightly, he felt her shaking underneath him "okay, Missy, let it all out" he soothed gently. Once her crying had subsided, he joined her on the sofa. "Can you tell me what happened?" He asked carefully, pulling a stray curl behind her ear and taking in her pale, drawn features. Missy's eyes darted towards the humans and back to the Doctor, "didn't they already tell you?" She asked in a hushed whisper. The Doctor nodded, "they did, but I want to hear it in your words." Missy narrowed her eyes suspiciously "they were going to make me go to the hospital without were tricking me." The Doctor shook his head sadly, "no, sweetheart, you're being paranoid. Dr Chang came down to introduce himself. But, it doesn't matter now, because I'm back and we'll go together." Missy didn't reply, looking back over her shoulder suspiciously. "Did you hear Rassilon's voice again?" The Doctor asked, watching her head click back round "yes. He was mocking me, you didn't hear him did you?" "I didn't, no, I'm sorry." Missy lowered her head, "it's not your fault." The Doctor squeezed her hand, "you started to remember more, didn't you?" He asked as Missy nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?" He pressed, hoping she'd open up to him. Of course, she'd already told him she remembered the stillbirths, but he doubted she was aware that she had done so. "There's not much to say. The baby I had was so small and it wasn't moving. There were three like that. I was so scared, I didn't understand what was happening and it hurt so much. I was all on my own." Missy mumbled, closing her eyes. "I just want this over with so I can go back to being me" she continued. "I know. It must have been so scary not knowing what was happening. You won't be on your own this time, though, I'll be with you and you'll have some pain relief and this will all be over soon." The Doctor soothed, trying to believe his own words, he really did hate his own people for what they had done. "Now, darling, you really do need to go and get checked over. We're going to go together, me and you, like I promised okay?" He said, holding out his hand and helping her stand up. Missy latched onto his side, nodding reluctantly. "Dr Chang, would you be able to lead us down to the hospital wing?" The Doctor asked, resting his hand on the small of Missy's back. Dr Chang nodded, leading the way out of the door. Missy dug her nails in tightly at the Doctor's side, "it's okay. No one's going to hurt you here and I'm not going anywhere. Try not to be frightened" he said gently, cautiously watching her out of the corner of his eye as she nodded her head.

"Here we are" Dr Chang smiled, opening the door into one of the brightly lit medical rooms situated in the basement of UNIT HQ. There were about ten private medical rooms, each resembling a GP's surgery. In the section opposite, there were medical bays that were for more serious injuries and more like a hospital ward. For today, Dr Chang would be using one of the private medical rooms. Missy halted at the door, taking in the machines and cabinets of drugs and needles; her chest tightened and she struggled to catch her breath. Deep breaths, Missy, you're doing really well The Doctor reached out in Missy's mind and held her up tightly as she took in a few steady breaths. "Ready, sweetheart?" He asked after a few seconds and Missy nodded as they walked into the room standing awkwardly in the centre while Dr Chang shut the door behind them eyeing all of the medical items in the room. "It's not that bad, see, there's no tricks here. This is all for your own good" the Doctor said watching her relax a little. "It's better now I can see it. It's not like the other places. The other ones were in cells and had restraints, this one doesn't" Missy said quietly, still holding onto him. "That's right" he nodded enthusiastically. "Why don't you both sit down over there and we can have a little chat about things before I do a few checks?" Dr Chang suggested, directing the two Time Lords to seats opposite. "So first of all, I know this is a complicated issue and it's not a wanted pregnancy but I want you to know my primary concern is your wellbeing Missy." The Doctor squeezed her hand and watched as she nodded, her gaze not quite reaching Dr Chang's eyes. "Now Kate told me that we want to find out how far along you are and whether the baby is completely Gallifreyan or mixed with another species. Is there anything else you'd like to find out?" Dr Chang asked, addressing both Missy and the Doctor. Missy looked down at her lap, sinking into her seat under the probing questions. The Doctor looked at her, realising he was going to have to do most of the speaking. Darling, you will have to answer some of the questions. It's your body and I can't tell him how you've been feeling. Missy turned away from him, sinking further into the chair. Dr Chang watched the two of them patiently as the Doctor turned to him, "We'd like to know if she will have any adverse reactions to a human pregnancy" The Doctor said, "our people rarely reproduce this way and even then, Time Lord and human pregnancies are different." Dr Chang nodded, "well I can tell you that following the unsuccessful pregnancies, the Time Lords and the faction managed to manipulate Missy's body to make it more compatible with a human pregnancy. That'll be why you've been able to carry this pregnancy for so much longer than the others and why the Time Lords are so confident that you will have a healthy baby this time." Dr Chang explained, trying to catch Missy's attention that had been drawn to the small window in the corner of the room that was letting in the last of the day's sun. "Are you listening, Missy? It's important you understand what's going on" the Doctor said, wincing at how patronising he sounded. Missy turned to face him, nodding "I'm listening" she said calmly, turning her attention to Dr Chang for the first time. "I remember now, the course of drugs they gave me after the last failed attempt. That was what they were for- preparing my body for a human pregnancy" She stated. "I would imagine so" Dr Chang agreed. "The good news is, with your body better equipped to deal with a human pregnancy, there should be less complications and risks for you" he added. The Doctor smiled,"that's something, eh?" he noted and Missy nodded.

"Okay, so I just had a few questions about your physical and mental health as well as any symptoms you've been experiencing. I'd like you to try and answer these for me please, Missy, and the Doctor can add anything he feels relevant afterwards." Dr Chang requested, smiling as Missy nodded. "So how have you been feeling in yourself generally?" He asked, watching as she fidgeted in her chair. "I..um.. generally okay, I guess" she stuttered looking at the Doctor for support. The Doctor felt for her, this was so different to any type of medical check ups she would have had. Even before the tortuous ones in her adulthood, the Time Lords never treated ailments like this. This would be a culture shock for her. "Be honest with him, Missy, it's for your own good" the Doctor said to her as they both turned back to face the human. "I've been more tired and I've been getting headaches and a bit confused" she confessed. "Okay, would you agree that you've seen these changes in Missy's health, Doctor?" Dr Chang turned his attention to the Doctor who in turn nodded. "Yes, I have. We think that the headaches are because of the tracking device Rassilon planted in Missy's brain. But I should say that she's always had bouts of confusion when she gets low and high moods" he explained, as Dr Chang made some notes. "Okay, has mental illness- these high and low moods- always happened Missy?" Dr Chang asked, suspecting the answer. Everyone at UNIT knew that the Master had always struggled with her sanity. It didn't justify her actions, but it provided some explanation for them. Although, everyone- the Doctor included- knew that sometimes she was just evil for the sake of being evil. The Doctor was ready to answer that question for Missy, fearing that it would be too probing for her and she would shut down. He was surprised, however, when she answered the question herself. "I've never been right in the head. It used to be just low moods and manic episodes but after the Tim- Time War... and tortures and other things it got worse. I think that's right, isn't it Thete? Sometimes, I don't really know what I'm like when I'm really bad. It's like I'm not really there. I stay with the Doctor when I'm really bad, he might be able to tell you more about that." She finished, turning to the Doctor. "That's right, I think you've covered it Kos- well done" the Doctor said, pleased by her newfound confidence and clarity. Dr Chang made a few more notes, smiling encouragingly at Missy and the Doctor. "Finally, before I do a physical assessment, have you still got any physical injuries from your time in the prison and have you been having any symptoms with the pregnancy so far?" He asked, while Missy shook her head "I had a broken rib and some cuts but they've all healed. Time Lord physiology" she shrugged. Dr Chang nodded "and pregnancy symptoms? Any sickness, fatigue, dizziness or anything like that?" Missy furrowed her brows, "yes, I think so" she said looking at the Doctor. "I was sick this morning, wasn't I?" She asked the Doctor, feeling that this morning was a lifetime ago. "Yes, you were" he said. "And I've felt a bit nauseous and dizzy throughout the day. And a back ache, my lower back has been aching all day" Missy listed off the symptoms. The Doctor looked at her surprised- he knew she had been sick this morning but didn't know about any of the other symptoms she'd been experiencing. "Missy" he started, "you should have told me you'd been in so much discomfort." Missy shrugged, "what would you have done? Taken over carrying it for me and gone through the pregnancy yourself? Anyway, I got a bit distracted by the voices and things" she trailed off. The Doctor sighed, "I could have tried to help" he said, before turning his attention back to Dr Chang. "That's another thing, Missy's been hearing the baby reach out to her. I've heard it's pretty normal in Time Lord pregnancies, but I just thought you should know" he informed the Dr. "Okay" Dr Chang said, "while all these things are uncomfortable, they are normal but we're still going to keep a close eye on you, Missy. Now, I'm going to do a scan so that we can see how the baby is developing and establish how far along you are. Then, I'm going to take some bloods so we can establish whether the baby is completely Gallifreyan. So, would you be able to lay yourself down on that bed over there and lift your top up for me please?"

The Doctor watched as Missy, who had been relatively stable, retreated back into herself. He knew this was going to be the hardest part, the physical examination would bring back far too many bad memories and take away her feeling of control. "It's okay, Missy, come on now, let me help you get nice and comfortable on the bed. We won't do anything without explaining what we're doing and if you want to stop and take a break we will. Isn't that right, Dr Chang?" The Doctor said calmly, leading Missy over to the medical bed on the opposite side of the room. Dr Chang, who had started setting up the ultrasound machine, nodded "absolutely. Everything is at your pace Missy. You've been doing really well so far and there really isn't much left." The Doctor watched as Missy eyed the machine suspiciously as she repositioned herself. "They don't usually let me ask questions. If I even talk I'm punished" she said absentmindedly. "I know, sweetheart, but this isn't torture or experiments. This is for your own good" the Doctor reassured, stroking her forehead lightly and trying to send her some positive thoughts. "Is that the machine for the scan?" She asked quietly, pointing at the machine that Dr Chang had wheeled up to the side of the bed. "Yes, it is. So if you could just lift up your top for me please and I'm going to apply a bit of this gel that might be a bit cold." Dr Chang said carefully, picking up the tube. When Missy didn't make any move to do as she had been asked, the Doctor turned to her, "let me help you" he said to her, noticing her trembling fingers. Gently, he lifted up her top to reveal her swelling abdomen. Missy leaned her head back, closing her eyes. "I'm going to apply this gel now, Missy" Dr Chang said, receiving no response from the Time Lady but a nod to continue from the Doctor. Missy flinched at the contact and the Doctor stroked her hand "it's okay, just the gel like we said." Missy let out a shaky breath, nodding. "We're now going to have a look at the baby, Missy, so I'm going to run this along your stomach and see how the baby's development is going." Dr Chang explained. Missy closed her eyes again and turned her head to face the wall, "just get on with it" she muttered and the Doctor nodded for Dr Chang to continue. After a few seconds, the ultrasound machine picked up the double heartbeat and the screen picked up the outline of infant. The Doctor felt his breath catch in his throat- it had been centuries since he'd seen the new life of a Time Tot, he looked over at Missy who had scrunched her eyes shut even tighter and a had a few tears streaming down her cheeks. "Missy, why don't you have a look?" He suggested, running a thumb over her knuckles. "I don't want to" she shook her head, "you said you wouldn't make me do anything." The Doctor sighed, watching her get worked up, "okay, sweetheart, you don't have to" he soothed, watching her relax slightly. Dr Chang coughed "I can print out a picture so you can have a look in your own time, Missy" he suggested. Missy ignored him, while the Doctor nodded "thank you, that'll be useful." Dr Chang smiled, "no problem. Right, so I would say you're around four months pregnant which will mean your due date is around five months from today. Everything seems to be going smoothly, the baby seems healthy and it's all going as we would expect." Dr Chang said with a reassuring smile. "Can I get down now?" Missy said wiping at the sticky gel on her stomach with her hands and scowling at the marks they left on her palm. "Here, Missy, use this" the Doctor said passing her some paper towels. "You can get down, yes, just sit down over there and I'll take that blood test I was talking about" Dr Chang told her packing away the ultrasound machine and making his way over to the cabinet in the corner. "Will it be finished then?" She asked hopefully, sitting back in the chair directing her question more at the Doctor than Dr Chang. "Yes, you'll be all finished after the blood test" the Doctor reassured, "you have done so well, you really have." The Doctor meant it- he had been surprised at how well she had reacted. "Now, you know Dr Chang's going to use a needle here for the blood test" the Doctor said carefully as he watched Dr Chang preparing the needle and tourniquet, so why don't you just hold my hand and look at me" he suggested, watching her pale and nod. Missy went to open her mouth and speak but closed it straight away as she saw Dr Chang approaching. "Just look at me, it's okay" the Doctor continued to soothe as Dr Chang carried out the blood test. "All done, Missy. Why don't you have a little drink of water?" Dr Chang suggested, handing her a small bottle of water. Missy drank the water and passed it back, "can I go now?" She asked the Doctor who nodded, "I'll be outside in a minute" he told her, leading Missy to stand up and walk as quickly as possible out of the room. Once outside, Missy rested against the wall taking a few steadying breaths. You did it, it's 're out, no one is hurting you. It's over. Missy thought to herself, allowing the relief to wash over her.

Back in the medical room, the Doctor and Dr Chang cleared away the medical supplies. "Thank you for that" the Doctor broke the silence, "I know it can't have been the easiest examination you've ever done and I know Missy hasn't got a great track record with how she treats humans but you dealt with her really well." Dr Chang smiled, "it really wasn't an issue. I know the things Missy has done but it's clear she hasn't had the easiest time of it either. Anyway, in here, she is just a patient and her wellbeing is my main concern." The Doctor nodded, "so everything is all going as smoothly as possible?" He asked, brows furrowed. "I'd say so" Dr Chang responded, "but she does seem to be experiencing quite severe symptoms, I'm not sure if it's just the stress and trauma of everything that has happened or something else. Sometimes, human women have tough pregnancies and she could just be experiencing one of those. I would say, however, it is best to keep her stress levels as low as possible and try and avoid incidences like earlier where she gets too worked up." The Doctor sighed, "easier said than done, but I will try my best." Dr Chang nodded, "I understand but if she does get too worked up, can I recommend these sedatives? They are compatible with Time Lords and won't effect the baby in anyway" the Doctor nodded, accepting the packet of medication from the other man. "Also, would you be able to try and get her more comfortable with bonding with the baby? It will be better for both of them. I've done some research into Time Lord pregnancies and I'm sure you realise that womb-born Time Tots need to be with their mothers for at least a month after birth to catch up to their loom born counterparts. The baby is going to need skin on skin contact with Missy, a telepathic link and it will need to be breastfed." The Doctor knew all of this and it had been worrying him. If Missy rejected the child, it would stand no chance of survival. "I realise that Missy probably won't be keeping the baby, because of various reasons, but she will still need care for it for it's first month." Dr Chang finished, placing the print out of the scan in an envelope and handing it to the Doctor. "I know. She's going to struggle, but I will help her. In the first few hours after birth, instinct will probably kick in and I will try and encourage her after that. If it gets too much for her, I'm sure I will be able to take over some of the secondary care and help maintain the child's telepathic development." The Doctor concluded, already feeling apprehensive about the wellbeing of Missy and the child. Dr Chang nodded, "here's the scan, why don't you get her to have a look at it today or tomorrow and I think we'll do another scan in about a month's time." The Doctor smiled, taking the envelope, "okay, will do."

As he made his way outside, the Doctor realised they were probably going to have to find a settled place to stay. Maybe he'd have a chat with Clara about adding some rooms to her flat so the three of them could stay there. He needed to keep the Tardis hidden, after all, while they were working on a way to stop the Time Lords. Something would come up, knowing Kate, she probably had something already organised. Once in the hallway the Doctor found Missy standing opposite, a small smile playing on her lips when she saw him emerge. "You did so well in there, Missy. I am really proud of you" he enthused, hoping to encourage her to lessen her fear of hospitals. "Thank you for coming with me. I couldn't have done it without you" she confessed, looping her arm through his as they began to walk, "I'm so glad it's over. I'm feeling a lot more settled now." The Doctor nodded, noticing that she was no longer as tense or jittery as she had been earlier. "I'm pleased to hear it" he said, placing a small kiss to the crown of her head as they made their way out of the medical wing.


	24. Chapter Twenty-four

"They've been a while, do you think we should be worried?" Clara said, glancing from the clock to Me and back again. It had been over an hour since the Doctor and Missy had gone down to the medical wing and they hadn't heard anything. The group had decided to wait in the staff room after all the other staff had started to leave. "I mean how long do these things usually take?" Clara asked the group growing more impatient. "It's not really been that long" Kate reassured. "They'll be taking it slowly for Missy's sake. Try not to worry, Clara. Look while you're here, I wanted to talk to you about some accommodation that I have set up for the three of you." Kate continued, watching as Clara sat down. "Accommodation? Won't they be able to stay on the Tardis?" She asked, watching Kate shake her head "no. The Tardis hiding itself from the Time Lords. Staying in a property on Earth will ensure it is harder to track them. It's also safer for you if you stay with them, away from your flat" Kate finished. "Sounds like Time Lord Big Brother" Clara laughed, "will Davina be presenting the best bits from the diary room?" She quipped, trying to make light of the situation. Kate laughed, "seriously, though, it is going to be safer for you all and means that we can guarantee the Doctor will stay around long enough to help us." Clara frowned, "he wouldn't just leave you" she protested, knowing that the Doctor wouldn't just leave his friends when they needed him. "Not intentionally, no, but he does have a habit of trying to run away from his problems" Kate explained with a shrug. "Anyway, we managed to sort out a nice house in Richmond. It's in a quiet area, which we thought would be best for Missy and the safety of London, but it has close links to London." Clara laughed, "Richmond? That's practically Surrey, how am I going to commute into work from there?" It was the first time Clara had thought about her everyday life since this had all started and part of her felt guilty. "We'll pay for you travel, Clara. Also, if you'd like, we can organise getting you some time off work? It's up to you" Kate offered,

"I, well, maybe that would-" Clara started but was cut off by Kate's mobile ringing. "Hello, Kate Stewart speaking. Right. Okay and what time was that? Okay. Yes, I'll be there in half an hour." As Kate hung up, the group looked at her expectantly. "Was that the Doctor?" Clara asked impatiently being met by Kate waving her hand dismissively. "No, no I'm afraid I'm going to have to excuse myself. Daisy, my youngest, has picked up a stomach bug and I'm going to have to pick her up and drop her back home with Gordon, my son" Kate explained. "Oh, is she okay?" Osgood asked, recalling her times child minding eight year old Daisy. "She'll live. Think she'll need a cuddle from mum and will be pleased to be spoilt by her big brother. Now, Osgood, you know where the company card is?" Kate enquired, receiving a nod from Osgood. "Okay, well you lot get something in for dinner and I'll be back as soon as possible. I want to be the one to take the three of you back to the house" Kate finished, turning her attention to Clara. "Okay, I hope Daisy feels better."

Missy's medical examination had ended nearly an hour ago and the Doctor was at a loss of where to go or what to do. He'd had no contact from Clara or any of the others so had decided to wait with Missy in one of the empty conference rooms where he would be able to decide what to do next. In all honesty, he hadn't thought past the hospital check up. Sitting on one of the sofas in the conference room, he glanced over at Missy who, while more settled than she had been earlier, looked utterly exhausted from the day's events. At present, she was sat flicking through a discarded copy of The Metro but didn't seem to being paying much mind to her action. Out of the corner of his eye, the Doctor noticed that Missy's hand was lightly resting over her bump. It was one of the first times he'd seen her comfortable enough to touch the growing bump and he didn't want to bring it up. As Dr Chang had explained, Missy needed to get more comfortable with the baby and they would have to take small steps to get there. "I'm going to text Kate and the others and see what's happening next" the Doctor said softly so as not to startle her and watching Missy lift her head and nod. Then quickly realise where her hand was and move it away. Dark circles had formed under her already half closed eyes and it was fair to say he hadn't seen her look that tired in centuries. "You look tired, love, why don't you lay down and have a little rest?" He suggested as he watched her yawn. "I am tired" Missy admitted, "if I do go to sleep will you stay here the whole time?" she asked a little sheepishly, clearly worrying about being separated from him again. The Doctor smiled, "of course. Remember what I said, we're not going to leave you on your own for a while. I'll text everyone now and then come and sit with you, if you'd like?" He said softly, eyes scanning over Missy. "Yes, please. I shouldn't be this tired but it's part of the symptoms, isn't it?" Missy asked, curling her legs under herself and laying on her side as she watched the Doctor tap out his text and approach her sofa. Sitting down, the Doctor lifted up Missy's upper body and allowed her to reposition herself so her head was resting in his lap. The Doctor slung one arm around her middle, feeling her tense slightly but quickly relax when he rested his palm on the growing bump. Running his other hand through her hair, "it is one of the symptoms and you have had a long day. We all have. When you're not as tired, we'll go over some things like I said earlier but for now just have a little sleep." The Doctor said, feeling Missy settle under his touch. "Okay. When I'm not so tired, I can help with figuring out what we're going to do about the Time Lords. You'll need my help and I need a project. I can help with that" Missy said sleepily, already starting to drift off. The Doctor wasn't sure about Missy having too much to do with getting rid of the Time Lords. For one thing, he didn't think she was well enough but he also knew her type of solution wouldn't be his ideal one. Even so, hearing how close to sleep she was, he played along. "Maybe Missy, but we'll take it all slowly" he said gently, receiving no reply and hearing her snore lightly. After about ten minutes, the Doctor found his own eyes drifting shut. He'd received no reply from Kate or Clara and thought he might as well have a rest while he waited. It was the closing of the door that woke him, leaving him slightly confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry" a quiet voice stammered and the Doctor looked up to see Osgood pushing her glasses awkwardly up her nose. "I didn't realise anyone was in here. I was just coming to collect the card for dinner" she stammered, looking embarrassingly from the Doctor to Missy, who was still curled against him and fast asleep. The Doctor yawned, remembering where he was, "Don't worry about it. We were just waiting for Kate and Clara to see what we do next. I don't suppose you know where they are? I sent a text but haven't got a reply." Osgood nodded, placing her files on the table, "ah well Kate's youngest daughter picked up a stomach bug and she had to go off and pick her up from the child minder's. She'll be back soon, though, she said she wanted to show you where you'll be staying. Clara's just in the staff room, there's not a very good signal down here so she probably didn't get your text." The Doctor nodded, "kids, eh, especially your human ones. They always pick up something or other" he laughed, stopping when he felt Missy move against him. "Doctor?" She called out, turning into him and reaching out, letting out a stifled sob as she remembered where she was. Osgood turned away, feeling as though she was being intrusive, "I'll go and tell Clara where you are" she said quietly as she made her way out of the room. The Doctor nodded distractedly, as he turned his attention to Missy. "I'm right here, Missy" he soothed, tracing his fingers across her forehead. She looked a bit flushed and had a slight temperature. "Are you okay, sweetheart? You've got a bit of a temperature" he observed, realising it was quite stuffy in the room and that was probably all it was. "Mmm. It's warm. Very warm" she breathed out, closing her eyes and pulling at the fabric of her clothing. "I don't want to wake up" she muttered, pressing herself against his chest. "You can go back to sleep darling, if you're still tired. Just let me take your jumper off so that you can cool down a wee bit" he suggested, easing her into a seated position and pulling the rugby top off, leaving her in her vest. "No, I mean I don't want to wake up ever. I don't want to exist. If I died, then all this could end" Missy whispered, lying back down. "You don't mean that, Missy, you're overtired. Just have a bit more of a rest" he soothed, brushing her hair back and watching her blink back tears, whining and murmuring to herself. He remembered all the other times he had held her while she sobbed and said she wanted to die. Sometimes he feared she truly meant it. "I'm awake now, it's too late. Everything's too late" she muttered composing herself, sitting up and wincing at the ache in her back. The Doctor watched sympathetically, "still got that back ache?" He asked, out of genuine concern but also in the hope of distracting Missy from her darker thoughts. "It's just a dull ache now. How long was I asleep for?" She asked, now fully awake "about an hour. I dozed off for a while too" he confessed. "Did I wake you? You can go back to sleep if you like" Missy said, pushing herself off the sofa and stretching. "No, I was awake. Osgood came in just before you woke up." Missy nodded, "Osgood, Osgood... the one with the glasses?" She asked, motioning a pair of pretend glasses over her eyes. "Yep, that's the one. She's gone to tell Clara we're here" the Doctor said, watching cautiously as Missy paced the room with a new found energy that worried him.

"We can leave now, can't we?" Missy said hopefully, after a few seconds of silence. "Now that I've been checked over. That was why we came here, wasn't it? And for you to talk to that...that ape. That's all been done now, so we can go." The Doctor watched Missy walk the length of the room, circle and walk back again growing more agitated by the second. She was speaking rapidly and could feel all the nervous energy that was coursing through her body. Her mood swings were off the scale at the moment and he really didn't know how to alleviate the symptoms. The sooner he found out where they would be staying, the sooner he could get her settled better. There were still so many things he wanted to discuss with Missy, but he really didn't know how to approach the subjects. "No, Missy, if we go back to the Tardis, it'll be easier for Rassilon to track us. Kate's found us somewhere to stay and we're going to be staying on Earth until after the baby is born." He explained, watching Missy open her mouth to protest but abruptly close it and shrink away from him. He knew what was coming next. "It won't be a prison, will it? Have you tricked me too, Doctor? Everyone is, why is everyone lying?" Missy asked growing more restless, and scratching at her arms again. The Doctor noticed how she'd been repeating this action as she grew anxious. It was as though she wanted to claw her way out of her own skin. Rising to his feet, the Doctor approached her slowly, he knew Clara and the others would be back soon and it would be even harder to calm Missy down then. "It won't be a prison, sweetheart. It'll be a house or a flat, just somewhere to stay while we're on Earth so that the Tardis can hide itself away for safe keeping. I'm not lying to you or tricking you, Missy. Your mind is playing tricks on you, we've had a very long day. Can you come and sit down for me please?" Missy narrowed her eyes, regarding the Doctor. In the rational part of her mind, she knew he was telling the truth but it didn't stop the less rational voices from spilling into her mind. "I can trust you. I can always trust you. Can't I? I don't mean to be paranoid, I'm sorry" Missy said more to herself, holding her head in her hands. "I just want to stop thinking" she half-cried, making the Doctor's heart break and stomach sink as he watched her. "You can always trust me, Missy. I know we've had problems recently but when it comes to something like this you can trust me. Now can you do as I said and come and sit down please" he repeated gently, guiding her in the direction of the sofa watching as she followed his instructions. "Yes, I will sit down. I will sit down" Missy repeated as she sat down anxiously pulling at her clothes and scratching at her arms. The Doctor joined her on the sofa, "thank you, well done. Now, sweetheart, I'm quite worried about your moods. You're jumping from one to another very quickly, more quickly than normal. Do you realise that, Missy?" The Doctor asked carefully, observing her repetitive movements and growing relieved when she nodded. It was always easier when she acknowledged something was wrong. "I don't know what to do. I'm still scared and I keep feeling paranoid and getting confused. I can't keep up with my thoughts" she confessed, eyes darting across the room. "It's okay, Missy. It's understandable that you're confused. It's really good that you know things aren't quite right though and that you're picking up on your moods. That's a big improvement. I think we're going to take the next few days slowly to get settled, what do you think?" The Doctor asked, risking running his hand down her back. At first, she flinched away from him but quickly settled into his touch. It was a stretch for both of them to have quiet, calm days but they were what she needed right now. To some extent, he could do with the break as well. "Okay. Calm days. I haven't had calm days for a long time. Not in this regeneration, anyway." "I know, Missy, so we'll have a few days relaxing. At some point though, I want to talk to you about a few things." Missy's eyes shot up, and she began scratching her arms more desperately. "What kind of things? Have I done something wrong? I haven't done anything, I've tried to be on my best behaviour" she trailed off and the Doctor could see her trembling. "You've not done anything wrong, I promise. It's just to talk about that faction leader and the baby and some of the things Dr Chang and I were talking about after you left the room." The Doctor said, watching Missy pull away from him. "Oh. Those things. I can't talk about them now" she whispered, tapping her hand against her thigh. "I know. That's why we're going to talk about it when you've had a few days rest and aren't so unsettled" the Doctor reaffirmed, smiling as Missy nodded. "You know what the faction leader did?" She asked, edging away from the Doctor who, in turn, placed his hands in his lap and watched Missy try and compose herself. Missy, in turn, closed her eyes and swallowed back the bile that had risen in her mouth. She could feel his hands all over her and remembered how out of control she felt, unable to stop any of it. Her memories were so vivid that she was projecting and the Doctor watched her as she battled against them. You're doing really well, Missy the Doctor brushed against her psyche in an attempt to calm her down as he watched her grow unsettled. "I do know what the faction leader- what Gordon- did, yes" he said carefully, watching as Missy's back tensed and she released a shaky breath. "Don't say his name. Please, don't say his name" she muttered, drawing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin atop her knee caps. "Okay, sweetheart" the Doctor soothed, "I won't say his name again. Missy, do you understand what he did?" He asked carefully, considering how confused she was, he had to ask. Missy nodded, "I think so. I know I didn't like it, it is all a bit blurry" she said drowsily, rocking herself in a repetitive movement that she found comforting. "I thought you would hate me more if you found out" Missy whispered before repeating "I know I didn't like it and it made me feel sick. I can't talk about this now. You said I didn't have to talk about this now" Missy said, turning her face towards the Doctor, who nodded and tried to get Missy to meet his eye. She couldn't manage it and he found himself fearing he'd lost too much of his friend this time. "You don't have to talk about anything to do with the faction until you're ready. Missy, I've never hated you and nothing that he has done to you could ever make me hate you" he said, watching her visibly relax as she let out a breath. "We will still have a chat about the baby when you're a bit more settled though. You can't ignore this, as much as you might want to." The Doctor told her, he had no intention of making her talk about Gordon or anything that went on in the prison until she was ready. However, he did need to talk to her about the baby and the medication Dr Chang had given him to give her if she became too worked up. The Doctor wanted Missy to be aware of as much of what was going on as possible and that meant being open with her from the start. "Okay, I know but still not today. I can't think today, too much has happened. I can't think but I can't stop thinking" she mumbled, feeling her thoughts jumble into one and travel at a speed she couldn't keep up with. "Missy, it has been a very long day today. We are just going to get settled tonight, that is all, we don't have to talk about anything you don't want to" the Doctor said, watching her get herself worked up but appear to settle at his reassurances.

The Doctor chanced a glance outside, noticing that London's streets were emptying and rush hour was near enough over. No doubt, the others would be back soon- at least he hoped they would be. The sooner they could get out of this limbo phase, the better. "Now, you know the humans are going to come here in a minute. Are you going to be okay in a bigger group?" The Doctor said, realising that their privacy would be short lived. "Yes, but don't leave me with them again, you'll stay here. Won't you?" Missy asked, moving back towards him and the Doctor could only liken her to a clingy child. "I'll be here, yes. If I have to go somewhere, I will tell you first" the Doctor reassured, watching Missy curl into him with a resigned sigh. As much as he hated seeing her so fragile, he was pleased she was clinging to him rather than withdrawing from him. It wasn't a pattern he wanted her to fall into, though, and he needed her to feel comfortable when he wasn't there, for her own good as much as everyone else's. "But, you do know that if I have to leave you with Clara or Me or any of the others, you will be perfectly safe." Missy nodded reluctantly, "yes, I know. But you won't leave me for long, will you? I need you. Humans are so fickle and they might turn on me. And I know I'd deserve it, but I haven't done anything to them recently. And I know that's a terrible excuse, they should turn against me. They will put me in another prison to rot. But you don't, you're not fickle. I've done things over and over and over. Terrible, awful things but I'm not going to stop and I'm not going to change and you know that but you've still always been here. That's why I can't...that's why...that's why I need to stay with you, not them" She stated, speaking faster and more erratically all the while continuing to scratch at her arms. The Doctor placed his hands firmly on her shoulders, watching as she flinched away from him. "Missy, you need to listen to me. You're thinking too much. I need you to take a deep breath and try and calm down" he said carefully, watching her try and follow his instructions but struggle. "I won't leave you with anyone else until you feel a bit more stable, I shouldn't have mentioned it as I don't want you to worry. It's not something you need to think about right now, okay?" Missy nodded, still attempting to steady her breath. "You won't be leaving me tonight or tomorrow?" She asked and the Doctor realised that she was in the frame of mind where she needed certainties. This had happened throughout Missy's bouts of illness and the Doctor had found it easiest to make her a routine that would settle her mind. "No. I won't be leaving you today or tomorrow. When we get to where we are staying, would it help if I tried to make us a routine?" He asked, watching Missy nod. "Yes, I need order right now. It's all going too fast inside my mind and I need things to be set in place" she said, looking slightly calmer that he understood what she needed. Sometimes when she was like this, she couldn't express what she needed and it was a relief that the Doctor could understand. "Okay, I'll do that. If you feel up to it, we can do it together" he suggested, again wanting her to be as involved as possible in what was going on. "Maybe, then I'll know what's happening" she said, curling up closer to the Doctor. "That's right. I think it will help you to have a routine" He stated, running a hand through Missy's hair.

At that moment, Osgood returned with Clara, Me and Henry in tow. "I was starting to wonder what had happened to the pair of you" Clara declared with a forced smile as she entered the room. "I did text" the Doctor shrugged, standing up to meet her. "Bad signal" Clara explained, "sometimes technology isn't all it's cracked up to be." The Doctor laughed, "never thought I'd hear a millennial say that." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Missy scrambling to put her jumper back on. He wasn't sure if it was an attempt to hide the marks on her arm or her growing bump. He suspected both. You don't need to hide anything, Missy. Don't make yourself uncomfortable, it's very warm in here he attempted to reassure her without attracting attention from the others in the room. I feel more comfortable like this her response was blunt and the Doctor couldn't help but feel reassured that her imprint felt a bit more like her usual one. That, however, didn't stop him worrying that she was about to put on her theatrics for the benefit of the others.

"How did it go?" Me asked Missy, smiling at her as she pulled the chair out from under the table and sat down opposite the sofa. "It was fine" Missy said, nodding and returning her smile. "Was everything okay with the baby?" Clara asked, glancing at the the Doctor and Missy, watching the Doctor nod. "How far along are you, Missy?" She asked enthusiastically, trying to sound supportive. "I can't remember. Stop asking all these questions. Just ask the Doctor when I've gone to bed, that's what you're going to do anyway. All talk, talk, talk while I'm out of the way. Like adults talking about something not suitable for little ears" Missy said icily looking from the Doctor to Clara. Clara gulped, Missy still had a way of intimidating her. "I'm sorry" Clara stammered, "I was just trying to help." The Doctor shook his head at Clara, a way of telling her not to pay attention to Missy's words, he then turned his attention to Missy. "Kos, we're not going to keep anything from you. We do sometimes talk about things when you're not here but it's only so that you don't get upset. We tell you everything, nothing is being hidden from you sweetheart" the Doctor said gently, watching Missy scratch at her arms and nodding as she let out a small whimper. "But I don't remember the things he was saying, I can't answer the questions Clara's asking. When Dr Chang was talking I was trying to stay calm and didn't really take in what he was saying. Please, please don't start questioning me because I can't answer the questions. I can't" Missy trailed off and the Doctor's face softened, he went to speak but was interrupted by Clara. "It's okay. You don't need to worry about answering questions. I was just being nosy" she said cooly, watching as Missy looked past her to the Doctor. "No one is going to make you answer any questions" he reassured with a smile and watched Missy nod. "Right, well, Kate's still going to be a while and she wants to be the one to take you to the house so we were going to get a take away" Me said, attempting to move the subject on. "Yes" Osgood agreed, "Kate left us the expenses credit card, so don't worry about being out of pocket." The Doctor nodded, "is UNIT still financed by public taxes? How does the Great British public feel about paying for two aliens' dinner?" he laughed, remembering how many times he had shared drinks with the Brigadier and charged the costs to a very similar account. Osgood shrugged and blushed slightly "it's better when there are some things they don't know about" she conceded. "Food sounds good to me. We haven't had anything to eat since breakfast and we ate that in the early twentieth century. A good meal would be very welcome and it would be a good chance to catch up" the Doctor said, turning to Missy who by this stage had started to drift again. "What do you think, Missy? Shall we go and have something to eat?" He asked watching her return from her own world and back into the real one. It felt strange talking to her like a child, but he feared talking to her any other way would be too much at the moment. Eventually, Missy made eye contact with him responding quietly with "okay, but you're coming too?" as she walked over to his side. "Yes, we're going to get a take away and all eat together" he assured her, slipping his arm around her waist when she reached him. "Are you alright? You seemed a bit distant. Were you drifting again?" The Doctor whispered so only she could hear. Missy nodded, shrugging and explaining that it had been a hard day. "We'll be back at the house soon and things will be more settled" he replied. "If anything gets too much for you, will you tell me? Please don't keep it to yourself" the Doctor added watching Missy nod reluctantly and turn her attention to the humans. "What are we going to get to eat?" She asked with a forced confidence in her voice that hitched in a way she despised when all the eyes in the room turned on her. Normally, she was able to hold the attention of a room and relish the in it. Now, she wanted the ground to swallow her up as she leant back into the supportive arm the Doctor had snaked around her waist. Missy was suddenly aware of how hungry she was but remained aware of the general wave of nausea she'd been feeling. "We usually get a chinese from down the road, they do a set menu that'll be enough for all of us but we'll have to go and collect it. We don't have to all go there- unless you want some fresh air" Osgood replied to no one in particular. Missy glanced out of the window quickly and back to the Doctor, he had a tendency to try and make her go out when she got like this but right now there was nothing she wanted to do less. It was dark outside and loud, Missy couldn't think of anything worse than having to venture out there. "I don't want to go out there" she said to the Doctor, falling back into Gallifreyan. The Doctor, anticipating her response, was quick to reassure her that she wouldn't have to go outside. "Henry and I will come with you" Me informed Osgood, deciding to give the two Time Lords and Clara some time alone. "Okay" Osgood responded with a nod, "let's go now before it gets too busy."

Soon, it was just the Doctor, Missy and Clara in the room. It had started to rain heavily outside and Clara found herself falling back on the Great British topic of conversation to break the awkward silence. "I'm glad we decided not to head out in that" she laughed, looking at the pair that remained hovering in the middle of the room. The Doctor nodded with a smile of acknowledgment before trying to get Missy to sit back down again. "Missy, are you still tired?" He asked carefully, taking in the dark circles under her eyes. "If you are, you can have a little shut eye before dinner" he tried guiding her back to the sofa. In some ways, he felt like he was constantly trying to get rid of her by making her go to sleep. He didn't mean it that way and he hoped she didn't think it was like that; but Missy just looked so tired and the Doctor worried that she would feel worse if she didn't sleep. "I won't be able to sleep now. I feel too awake, I'm sorry" Missy responded quietly as she sat down, pulling her knees up into a hug. The Doctor pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and concentrated instead on letting Missy take the lead. "That's okay" the Doctor reassured, not quite sure why she was apologising. Noting the TV set in the corner of the room and how that had helped her to relax on the Tardis, "we can see if there's anything on the telly if you'd like?" He suggested watching her rock slightly. "Okay. You'll be here?" She asked again, almost pleadingly as she looked over to Clara who attempted a smile at her. "Yes, Missy, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be with you all night" the Doctor reassured as he sat down next to her and watched her curl into him. This had been the worst she'd been in years and he didn't know how long it would take her to recover. "Now, shall we see what's on?" He asked tracing his fingers over her upper arm. "Okay" Missy whispered laying down next to him and resting her head in his lap. "Here's the controller" Clara said, switching the screen on and handing it over to the Doctor. After flipping through a few channels he settled on an animal documentary. It wasn't particularly the content that led to the decision but more the way that the colours helped Missy to relax. The Doctor found that Missy actually seemed a lot more tired than she was letting on but, for whatever reason, was fighting against sleep. "Sweetheart, if you feel tired, go to sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up." He said softly, feeling her scrunch further into him. "I know, but, when I wake up I get confused and have to remember it all again. I'd rather sleep when we get back to that place we're going to" Missy croaked, voice breaking. The Doctor found himself feeling guilty that he hadn't realised how damaged she had been by her time with the UNIT faction. With the power of hindsight, however, he'd realised that all of this would have been a lot to deal with. Missy was unstable at the best of times and everything that had happened to her at the hands of the Time Lords and UNIT faction would have pushed her over the edge. It was emotionally and physically damaging and while, at first, she had managed to put on an act and pretend she was alright now she couldn't manage it. On top of everything, the pregnancy was effecting her with hormones all over the place and memories resurfacing of the failed attempts. It was little wonder that Missy was now clinging to him.

"Okay, Missy, just watch this then. Is it helping you feel relaxed?" He asked, trying to push his guilt out of his mind and focus on Missy. "Mhmm. I like the colours. The way the fish are swimming it's nice. I went to a planet once that was completely underwater with all caves and hidden places. Have you ever been there?" Missy asked quietly without looking away from the screen. "An underwater planet? You've never taken me there, Doctor. That sounds amazing. When did you go Missy?" Clara asked in an attempt to keep her talking. "I can't really remember. I know I've been, though. Have you been Doctor?" Missy repeated, turning her attention back to him. The Doctor was relieved to have Missy making some conversation, she'd been mainly monosyllabic up to now with him leading the conversation. "I have been, not in a long time though. Maybe we'll go back together one day. Would you like that?" He asked stroking her hair and noting the knots and grease; she probably hadn't been able to have a bath in a while and that would be making her feel even worse. "Would you really go with me? We haven't been anywhere that wasn't Earth in ages. But I can't go anywhere now, not while I've got this baby inside me. I can't do much... I, I don't want to do this" Missy trailed off with a whimper, apparently remembering her predicament all at once. "Shh, shh. I'd love to go somewhere with you Missy and we will one day, I promise. Now, when we get to the house Kate has sorted for us, would you like a bath?" He suggested, continuing to stroke her hair. "I , am I allowed a bath?" She asked hesitantly, still not looking away from the screen. The Doctor was shocked, why would she think she wouldn't be allowed a bath? Glancing over at Clara, it was evident that she was also confused by Missy's question. He tried to keep his surprise out of his voice as he responded, "of course you're allowed, sweetheart, why wouldn't you be allowed, hmm?" He coaxed gently wondering if she was just overtired and not really aware of what she was saying. When she responded, however, the real reason for her uncertainty became clear. "I was only allowed a bath when I behaved at that place. Like when I took their drugs without protesting or let the guards use me for their base urges. When I did those things, they would let me have a bath and they were so nice to me and they helped me get clean and have a some food and let me sleep properly. But that was only rarely, not often. When I protested, or fought against them I was punished and they would just use a hose to humiliate me. It was really cold, Doctor, and I would beg them to stop and they wouldn't. I won't have to take any drugs or, or do anything else to get a bath here, will I Doctor?" Missy trailed off pleadingly. The Doctor stopped stroking Missy's hair and clenched his fists by his sides as he heard her account of what had happened, remaining silent and breathing heavily as he tried to calm himself. Eventually his silence lasted too long and Missy eased herself up and continued pleading. "Please, Doctor, I won't have to will I? If I do, I don't want a bath." The Doctor didn't respond, still trying to suppress his anger, but failing, leading to Missy misreading his anger as being directed at her and pushing away from him. Clara, who could see how the scene was developing, decided to step in dealing first with Missy and then the Doctor. "Missy, you're allowed to have a bath without any conditions. No one is going to make you do anything, okay?" She said calmly, smiling at Missy who was shaking and suspiciously eyeing the Doctor. "I didn't mean to make the Doctor angry. I know I mean to sometimes but I didn't this time. He can't leave me to them again" she whispered softly, still keeping a distance between her and the Doctor. Missy's whispered fears seemed to help the Doctor snap out of his angered trance and he looked from Missy to Clara and back again with a sigh. "Doctor" Clara said carefully, "I know this is hard to hear but you're scaring Missy. She thinks its her you're angry at. Do you need to take a minute?" The Doctor shook his head before clearing his throat with a cough. Regrettably, he needed to start getting used to hearing her talk about her time with the faction as he wanted her to be able to open up to him. "I'm not angry at you, Missy. It just makes me angry to hear everything you went through, but I'm pleased that you can talk to me about it. Now, sweetheart, you can have a bath when we get in and there are no conditions. You won't have to do anything. I'm sorry I scared you, do you want to come back and sit with me?" Missy continued shaking and looked around the room nervously, "I didn't mean to make you angry. I'm sorry, I won't talk about it again. Just don't leave me with them" she begged, clearly not understanding where his anger was directed. "No, Missy, you didn't make me angry. I was angry at them for what they did to you. I'd really like it if you came back and sat with me, but you don't have to. Just do what you feel comfortable with" the Doctor repeated softly watching Missy settle slightly and nod. "I want to sit with you" she whispered hesitantly crawling back to him, "and I do want to have a bath please." Missy finished as she returned to the Doctor's embrace. "Okay, Missy, we'll do that sweetheart" the Doctor said softly stroking her and feeling her relax against him. For a few minutes, the pair returned to watching the documentary. "Look at that octopus, that's a big one, isn't it" Missy said, enthused by the programme. "It is, you're right" the Doctor responded, unsure what else to say but happy that Missy was talking.

"I've just had a text from Osgood, they're on their way back" Clara said as the show came to an end and the Doctor turned the screen off. "Ah great. I was getting peckish. Are you hungry, Missy?" the Doctor asked as she sat up and looked at him nodding. "A bit, but I feel a bit sick too" she responded. "Okay, well you can just have a small plate and see how you feel after that?" The Doctor suggested taking her hand and rubbing a thumb across her knuckles "yes. What are we having again? I'm sorry, I forgot" Missy said furrowing her brow at him. The Doctor sighed, it had been a long day for them all and Missy was getting more forgetful as the day drew on. Missy's constant apologising was concerning him as well and he found himself wondering how often she'd been forced to apologise for something in the faction. "That's okay, you don't need to apologise. We're having a chinese. You used to like sweet and sour, maybe you can have some of that" the Doctor suggested watching Missy nod just as the door opened and the trio returned with dinner.

"Dinner is served" Henry declared as he laid the assortment of dishes across the table. Watching him, the Doctor wondered if Henry had really always been a waiter. He certainly looked the part. "Sorry we took so long, it was busier than we expected" Me explained, placing some knives and forks on the table with a clang. The noise made Missy jump slightly and she tried to hide her nervousness as she sat up. The Doctor chose to ignore her jumping but traced his fingers down her arm to reassure her. "Well, tuck in then" Me said, leading to everyone grabbing a plate of food. The Doctor picked up a plate for himself and a plate for Missy, selecting all the foods he remembers her liking. Of course, it could be different in the regeneration but it was better than nothing. "Here you go, Missy, try some of this" he said gently, passing her the plate and retaking his seat next to her.

The group ate, making polite conversation throughout the meal. Missy watched the scene with a quiet curiosity. It was strange eating with a group of people, especially people that were the Doctor's friends. It was even stranger that they were sat there talking about mundane, everyday things. It was boring, in normal circumstances, Missy would have killed someone by now to liven things up. And what do you think they'd do to you then, Mistress? Again, Rassilon's voice was there or was it? She couldn't tell anymore. There was too much going on in her mind, far too much. She could still feel the child's imprint, reaching out to her, wanting to meet it's mother. "Doctor" Missy breathed out in a whisper, interrupting his anecdote about his latest trip to some ancient planet or another. Doctor, Doctor, Doctor. Dearie me, it really is like the old days isn't it. You always did go running to him when you were having a crazy moment, which was what, every other week? "Please stop it. I don't want to listen" she whispered, cradling her head in her hands. The Doctor turned his attention to Missy, "oh come on, my stories aren't that bad, are they-" he started, stopping when he saw she wasn't teasing. "You're okay, Missy. Is it the voices again?" He asked, knowing the answer. "Mhm. Rassilon. Rassilon's voice" Missy mumbled, reaching out for the Doctor's hand. "Okay, sweetheart, try and listen to my voice, I know it's hard and confusing, but I'm right here" the Doctor reassured, squeezing her hand slightly and watching as her eyes locked onto him. "I don't like him. I don't like it, Doctor" Missy stammered, relieved that she could now feel just the child's presence in her mind. "I think he's gone. I think it's stopped for now" Missy reaffirmed, more to herself than anyone else. "Okay. I'm pleased, Missy" the Doctor said, still holding onto her hand and glancing down at her still full plate. "You haven't eaten anything, Missy. You said that you were hungry" the Doctor said as he watched Missy's eyes follow him down to the full plate of food. "I feel sick, Thete" Missy said meekly, looking around the room at the others that were trying to give the two Time Lords some privacy. "Thank you for letting me sit with you all though" she added, seemingly as an afterthought worried that she was about to be sent away. "Of course you'd sit with us, sweetheart. I think you might feel a bit better if you try and a have a little bit to eat" the Doctor suggested as he picked up a prawn cracker, dipped it in the sweet and sour sauce and passed it to Missy. "Just try a little bit" he encouraged as she took it hesitantly and started nibbling around the edge. The Doctor smiled as he watched her finish it off, "am I allowed another one please?" She asked hesitantly. "Yes. This whole plate is yours. If you finish it there's plenty left over" the Doctor responded, pleased to see Missy more settled as she slowly finished the food off in silence looking over to the Doctor every few minutes as though to check he was still there.

"Well, I am well and truly stuffed" Clara said as she cleaned up the last of the plates from the table and into the dishwasher. The Doctor went to stand up to help wipe the table but was dragged back by Missy reaching up. "Where are you going?" She asked pleadingly, grip tightening on his arm. "I was just going to help tidy up. I'm not going anywhere, you'll be able to see me" the Doctor soothed, trying to loosen her grip on his sleeve but failing. "No, I want you to sit with me. I don't want him to come back. Please sit with me" Missy continued begging, eyes welling with tears that were threatening to spill. The Doctor sighed, once again finding her behaviour reminiscent of a clinging child. He considered being firm with her, after all, she couldn't fall into the habit of being this dependent on him all of the time. This evening, however, with everything that had happened, was not the time to be firm. Looking apologetically at the others in the room, the Doctor sat back down only to have Missy practically jump into his lap. "Okay, I'll sit with you" he soothed, running a hand down her back as she curled into his chest. "Missy, I can't be with you all of the time. You realise that, don't you?" He said carefully, starting to trace small circles on her back. "Yes. But you said tonight you wouldn't go anywhere or tomorrow. Tonight and tomorrow you'd stay with me" she whispered, tightening her grip on his shirt. "Okay. You're right, I did say that" the Doctor said with a sigh of resignation as he realised she had taken his promise very literally. "I'm sorry I wasn't much help" the Doctor said a few minutes later, noticing that Missy had dozed off in his lap. He imagined most of her behaviour was because of exhaustion. "It's all finished now anyway. You're much better off keeping Missy calm" Osgood said with a half hearted shrug. "Yeah and I bet you paid her to say that so you didn't have to help" Clara said teasingly. "Oh you never did like helping with the chores" Kate laughed as she returned, surveying the scene. Kate stood in the doorway of the staffroom, raindrops dripping off of her beige mac and carrying a Tesco bag for life. "How's Daisy?" Me asked, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Still a bit under the weather, but she'll live. I think she's chuffed she'll get to have a day off school tomorrow" Kate laughed, "I see you didn't save me any?" She asked, looking at the empty boxes in the recycling bin. "Sorry, afraid not" Osgood said. "It's fine, I think it's about time we got you all settled in anyway. Are you ready to get going Doctor?" Kate said, looking over at the Doctor who still had a sleeping Missy curled up against him and nodded. "Yes, it's really time to get settled I think. Just give me a minute to wake Missy up" he replied, stroking Missy's forehead and noticing that she had fallen into quite a deep sleep. "Sure, I've picked up some old maternity clothes and baby things that might be of use to Missy" Kate said, lifting up the bag for life. The Doctor nodded, "that'll be a great help. Thank you" he replied, continuing to stroke Missy's forehead and feeling her start to stir. He was keen to wake her up as gently as possible as not to startle or confuse her any more than necessary. "Missy, sweetheart, it's time to wake up" the Doctor whispered, stroking her arm and watching her move against him mumbling something incoherent. "Come on, sweetheart, you can go back to sleep very soon. Kate and Clara are waiting for us" the Doctor tried again, watching as Missy blinked her eyes open and looked around at him. "I fell to sleep. I'm sorry, I fell to sleep" she muttered curling into him with a yawn. The Doctor reached down and pushed her hair back, "it's okay, you must have been tired. Come on now we're going to the house" he repeated helping as she stood up and looked at the others in the room trying to take it all in. "Aren't we going to the Tardis?" Missy whispered in Gallifreyan, leaning in closer to the Doctor. "No, sweetheart. I told you earlier, we're staying in a house that Kate has sorted out for us" the Doctor replied in English, watching Missy's face contort in confusion for a minute at both what he was saying and how he was saying it. "Earth, English. We're on Earth. I thought we were on Gallifrey, I dreamt we were on Gallifrey" Missy rambled as the Doctor started guiding her towards the door nodding to Kate and Clara that they were ready to leave. "We are on Earth, you're right, you were just dreaming about Gallifrey. Was it a bad dream, darling?" The Doctor asked softly, half anticipating her response, as he carried on leading her out of the room, waving goodbye to Me, Henry and Osgood on his way. Missy let out an affirmative whimper as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Okay, sweetheart, it was just a dream. You're with me now" the Doctor soothed as they made it out into the car park.

Even though it was nearly 9pm, London was still busy and loud. The new environment seemed to be distracting Missy and woke her up a bit, the Doctor watched as her eyes darted across the car park. For a minute, she looked almost curious but that quickly gave way to panic as she looked around at him with wide eyes "I want to go back inside, Theta, please." Kate caught his attention quickly as she watched the scene develop and worked to prevent it from escalating. "Doctor, here's my car. Why don't you and Missy get in the back and Clara can take the passenger's seat. We'll be at the house really soon, Missy" Kate said as she unlocked the car. Half an hour into the journey and Clara turned around to address the Doctor who had been surprisingly quiet, "I was starting to think you were asleep. Not like you to be so quiet" she commented with a slight smile. "Sorry was just thinking" he stated, watching Missy who was resting her head against the window appearing entranced by the street lights. "Don't do too much of that, it's dangerous" Clara laughed, glancing over to Missy. In the dark, she was unable to make out whether Missy's eyes were open or not. "Is she asleep again?" She whispered to the Doctor when he turned to face her. The Doctor shook his head, concerned at how withdrawn Missy had been throughout the journey. Something outside had caught her attention. "Missy, what are you looking at out there?" He asked softly watching her turn to face him. "The lights. They're very bright" she responded, returning to watching out of the window. "They are quite bright, sweetheart, is your head hurting again?" the Doctor pressed, worried that Rassilon was about to plague her again. "No" Missy answered, this time not turning back to him. "I like the lights. They kept me in darkness a lot for punishment. No light, just dark" Missy explained, more to herself than anyone else. The Doctor coughed, squeezing Missy's hand in response and as an attempt to show support. "Well, I'm pleased there's so much light" Kate commented turning into the drive, "otherwise I wouldn't be able to see where I was going. Out in the country they turn all the lights out at eleven. Right, here we are, your lots' new home for the next few months" Kate said as she turned off the engine. "I'll get you settled in and then leave you to it. I bet you're all ready for this day to end."


	25. Chapter Twenty-five

"This is the house?" Missy asked the Doctor in whispered Gallifreyan as she glanced around the hallway. Clara and Kate looked over at the Doctor for explanation of what she was saying. Throughout the tour, Missy had remained silent at the Doctor's side gripping hold of his hand as though he would disappear. Normally, she would have been bounding through the house fueled by sarcasm and disdain for the human-ness of it all. Not tonight, though. Kate had finished giving the three of them the grand tour about five minutes ago and was standing in the entrance way pulling her coat back on, ready to make her way back to her own house. "It is the house, yes. We're on Earth, remember, Missy? Can you speak English so the others can understand us. The Tardis translation circuit won't be working this far away" the Doctor explained, knowing that Missy was falling into Gallifreyan because of tiredness. When it was just the two of them and she was like this, they often fell into their mother tongue. With Clara living with them and no way of automatically translating conversation, the Doctor would have to insist that they spoke English. Missy nodded, looking quickly up to Kate and back down again. "I hope that you'll all be settled here. Any problems let me know" Kate said as she made her way to the door. "Oh and before I forget, Missy here are some maternity clothes that you might find more comfortable as well as some baby things. I didn't think you'd have any things of your own." Kate finished, holding the bag out to Missy who accepted it hesitantly without replying. The Doctor said his thanks and Clara noticed that there was something left hanging in the air between him and Kate. He looked as though he wanted to say something but was holding back because of Missy.

Taking the initiative, Clara took the bag of clothes from Missy and pulled her away from the Doctor gently. "Why don't we go and have a look through these clothes while the Doctor and Kate sort a few things out?" She said softly to Missy when she protested at being pulled away from the Doctor. "How long will you be gone, Doctor?" Missy asked as she stopped fighting against Clara's pull. "I'm not going anywhere, I just want to say goodbye to Kate and you look like you need a sit down. So, you head into the lounge with Clara and I'll be there soon" the Doctor said truthfully, she did look exhausted. "Are you going out?" Missy asked, wringing her hands. "No. I'll still be here" he reassured. "But how long will you be?" She pressed, trying to get back to him "I'll be five minutes" he said watching her fidget anxiously and nod reluctantly before allowing herself to be led away by Clara.

Once it was just Kate and the Doctor left in the hallway, the Doctor voiced his concerns. "You know I can't put anything before Missy's wellbeing at the moment, don't you?" he said firmly, watching the UNIT boss nod. "I know and I wouldn't expect you to. I have to be honest, she's worse than I thought she would be" Kate expressed her concerns. "I know. I think a lot of it is down to exhaustion at the moment and the aftermath of the medical examination. Give her a few days and I think she'll settle a bit. She's talking a bit more about what the faction did, which I'm pleased about. What's the plan for the next few days?" The Doctor asked, realising he had no idea what was going to happen. "Focus on Missy, get her settled first of all. Then, I think you should talk to Me and work on contacting the Time Lords. I'll carry on interviewing Reeves" Kate suggested watching the Doctor nod. "I have to get back to my kids. I hope things are a bit better for you tomorrow. I'll call in the morning" she finished as she made her way back to the car.

"You like purple, Missy. Look at this dress, it's the same colour as your old one" Clara said as she pulled out a cotton maxi dress and held it up to show Missy. A small smile creeped onto Missy's lips as she looked at the dress, "it is. I can wear that tomorrow, maybe" she said as she took the dress from Clara. Clara nodded, looking into the bag at the assortment of baby clothes. "Do you want to look at the baby clothes that are in here?" Clara asked watching as Missy's smile fell from her face and she shook her head, scrunching the material of the dress in her hands then passing it back to Clara to put in the bag. "That's okay. We'll look a different day" Clara said, pushing the bag to one side and watching as Missy stood up walking towards the door. "Where are you going, Missy?" Clara asked, also standing up and blocking the door. "I, has it been five minutes yet? I want the Doctor now" Missy said quietly as she backed away from the door, appearing startled by Clara blocking the entrance. The pitiful expression on Missy's face reminded her of a toddler with separation anxiety. "It's nearly been five minutes. He'll be here before you know it. I'll tell you what, though, the Doctor will be really proud of you if you come and sit down with me and wait patiently" Clara attempted to guide Missy back to the sofa, she would never have dreamed of speaking to Missy like this even a day ago but events over the course of the day had really highlighted the need to approach her differently. Missy looked back to the door and then followed Clara's instructions to sit down, "he really will be back soon won't he?" Missy asked, scratching her arms. "Yes, Missy, he will" Clara said as she heard Kate's car start up and the lights lit up the front room. "That was Kate's car going so he'll be back in a minute. Try not to scratch your arms, you're making them bleed" Clara said as she watched the spots of blood appear on Missy's arm. Missy opened her mouth to reply but froze as the door opened and the Doctor walked in. "Doctor, you came back" Missy said as she crossed the distance to the door. "Yes, I told you I wouldn't be long. I was only five minutes" the Doctor said as Missy reached him and he noted the streaks of blood pooling from the cuts of her arm. "Why is your arm bleeding, Missy?" The Doctor asked leading Missy back to the sofa. In response, Missy bowed her head and looked away from the Doctor leaving him to look over to Clara for an explanation. "She got a bit anxious a minute ago. I think she thought you had left and she started scratching her arms" Clara explained as the Doctor nodded. "I really wasn't long, sweetheart" he said looking over to Missy. "I know. I did what Clara said, though. I came to sit back down when she told me to I was just nervous." She trailed off, reaching out to the Doctor as Clara confirmed what she was saying "Missy waited really patiently, Doctor, it was just at the end that she got a little bit restless. I said that you'd be proud of her for waiting so well. We found a lovely purple dress that Kate brought over. It's exactly the same colour as Missy's old one" Clara said, trying to change the conversation. "Really" the Doctor said smiling at Missy "that's a bit of luck. Do you want to show me?" He asked , watching Missy shake her head. "It's in the same bag as the baby clothes. I don't want to look in there now" she said sheepishly, watching as the Doctor nodded. "Okay, that's fine. Maybe tomorrow. Now did you want a bath still?" The Doctor asked, hoping that she would as he thought it would help her relax a little before bed. "Yes please. Will you come with me though?" Missy asked fidgeting in her seat. "Yes, I'll come with you, absolutely. Let's go upstairs now" he said as he helped Missy up and they made their way towards the door. "I'm going to head up to bed, but before I go do you need me to do anything?" Clara asked the pair of Time Lords as they reached the door. The Doctor looked back at her, "would you be able to lay Missy's pyjamas out on our bed? Kate said there was a new pair in the bag" he responded thanking Clara as she nodded. "Won't that be nice, Missy? A nice new pair of pyjamas in fresh sheets after a lovely warm bath" The Doctor said quietly to Missy as he led her up the stairs. It was more a way of making conversation and keeping her relaxed than anything else; he could still feel her trembling under his touch. "Yes. It sounds nice" Missy whispered shakily in response. "Are you worried about something? I can feel you shaking" the Doctor commented as they stepped into the bathroom and helped her sit down on the edge of the bath. "Do I really not have to do anything?" She asked, tears welling up, "because I really don't want to have a bath if I have to take any drugs or do anything else. You're not tricking me, are you?" The Doctor shook his head, "I'm not tricking you. You won't have to do anything, I promise. I wish I could have stopped them, none of this should ever have happened to you" the Doctor said sadly as he brushed away the tears that had fallen down her cheek. "I really won't have to do anything?" She asked again, shirking away from his touch. "No, sweetheart, you won't have to do anything. This bath is for you. You can get nice and clean and it'll help you relax before bed" the Doctor said as he started running the bath. As the water started, Missy watched it fall into the tub and held her hand under it letting it warm her. The Doctor watched as she closed her eyes and let her face relax, he was pleased to see her seeming less anxious. "You did really well today, Missy. I am really proud of you. I wanted to thank you for starting to share some of the things that the faction did to you." The Doctor said as Missy opened her eyes and looked at him, pulling her arm away from the tap and hugging it to her chest. The rain outside had started to get heavier, lashing against the window with the wind whistling. Missy blinked several times, looked to the window and back to the Doctor. The weather outside was reminding her of Gallifrey in the winter, she didn't want to think of Gallifrey. Anything but Gallifrey. "What are you thinking?" The Doctor asked Missy, drawing her from her thoughts to her relief. "Nothing" she responded monotonously and the Doctor nodded, although he was unconvinced. "Okay. Now, why don't you start getting undressed? The bath is ready for you" he directed as he turned the taps off. Missy didn't respond, instead looking at a spot over his shoulder. "Come on love, let's get you undressed" the Doctor said as he lifted her top and vest off of her. "Okay, okay" Missy mumbled, resting her forehead on his shoulder as she let the Doctor strip her of her clothing. "Good girl, well done. Can you stand up so we can take off your tracksuit bottoms?" The Doctor asked gently as he eased her up and pulled off her trousers. Eventually, Missy was left in just her knickers and the Doctor wasn't sure if she was okay with him removing them. "Sweetheart, is it okay to take your knickers off for you?" He asked carefully, watching as Missy nodded. After removing the last of her clothing, the Doctor looked Missy up and down. "Oh, Missy" he sighed as he took in the assortment of bruises that scattered across the Time Lady's body. "Are these painful?" He asked, running a thumb across one of the angrier looking bruises on her hip bone and regretting it as she shivered underneath him. "No. I forgot about them" she responded dully as the Doctor helped her up and eased her into the bath. "Okay, tell me if you're in any pain. Is the bath the right temperature for you?" the Doctor checked, picking up a flannel from the edge and dipping it in the water. "Yes. It's nice and warm" Missy responded, sinking further into the water "thank you." "Good. I'm pleased. Do you mind me helping you wash, or do you want to do it yourself?" the Doctor asked as he began wringing the flannel, kneeling at the side of the bath. "Can you help me please?" Missy asked timidly, running her hand through the water. "Of course I can" the Doctor said as he dabbed lightly at Missy's skin, watching as she appeared to drift in and out of awareness. "Doctor" Missy said, breaking her silence for the first time on her own accord. "Yes, Missy" the Doctor responded as he filled a plastic cup with water, ready to wash her hair. Looking at her, her face was clouded in concentration. "I can feel the baby moving. It has been all evening" she said as she rested her right palm on her abdomen. The Doctor noted that she seemed relatively calm as she skimmed her fingertips over the water's surface. "Can you, sweetheart?" the Doctor said calmly, leaving Missy to lead the conversation. "Yes. It's normal isn't it?" She asked looking up at the Doctor for reassurance. "It is normal for you to feel the baby moving, yes" he reassured as he brushed his thumb across her forehead, feeling her lean into his touch and close her eyes letting out a whimper. "Are you okay?" The Doctor asked noting how subdued she was. "I'm really scared" she confessed as she opened her eyes, staring at the Doctor. "It's okay to be scared, but I'm going to look after you. Is there anything in particular you're scared of, Missy?" The Doctor asked, keen to know what was going on in her mind and watching her nod. "What is scaring you?" He pressed gently. "Rassilon. I'm scared of him coming back and being in my mind. It's like he's always here" she explained, tapping the side of her head. "Okay, but if you hear Rassilon's voice, you tell me and I will try and help you. Remember, it's just his voice, he can't hurt you. Is there anything else you're scared of?" The Doctor pressed, eager to keep her talking. "I'm scared of having the baby. When I had the others, the ones that died, it really hurt and I was on my own. I didn't really understand it and that's going to happen again isn't it?" Missy whispered, looking at the Doctor as though he could fix it all. "It will happen again, yes. But it will be very, very different this time. I'll be with you and you'll have some pain medication and we'll make you as comfortable as possible. You've still got quite a while before you need to worry about that though, sweetheart" the Doctor finished, watching Missy nod reluctantly. "Right, I'm going to wash your hair now. Is that okay?" the Doctor asked, lifting the cup to Missy's line of vision so as not to startle her. "Yes" Missy responded quietly, leading to the Doctor carefully pouring warm water over her hair. "There we go, we'll get all these knots out and get it nice and clean. This is the longest I've seen your hair in a long time. It's beautiful" he said watching Missy's vacant expression as he massaged in the shampoo and rinsed it out. "Can I go to bed after this?" Missy asked eventually, as the Doctor collected a towel. "Yes, we'll go to bed after we get your hair dry a little bit. Can't have you going to bed with wet hair. Come on now, up you get" the Doctor directed holding the towel up and wrapping it around Missy's frame, helping her to step out of the bath. "You're sleeping a lot at the moment, are you feeling very tired?" He asked idly, as they made their way to the bedroom. He knew that she had a tendency to sleep more when she felt low and didn't want her to fall into that habit. "I'm tired. I want it to go away" Missy said wistfully, as they reached the bedroom, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "You can sleep all night tonight and hopefully you'll feel a bit more awake tomorrow. What do you want to go away?" He asked, towel drying her hair and running a comb gently through her hair, finally securing a plait with a black band. "Everything. I want all of it to slip away" Missy trailed off, closing her eyes. "Okay, Missy, okay. Let's get you into your pyjamas and go to bed" the Doctor said, deciding to distract her from her line of thought. "Are you going to sleep with me?" Missy asked, slipping her top on as the Doctor helped her into her bottoms. "Yes, love, we'll both sleep here tonight. While we're staying here this is our room, as long as you're okay with that?" the Doctor said as he pulled back the covers "now come and lay down" he said, patting the mattress. Missy followed his instructions, laying down and looking up at the Doctor. "I want to stay with you. I need you" Missy said with a whimper, reaching up for the Doctor as he pulled away. "Okay, I'm just getting changed into my pyjamas and I'll be with you" the Doctor said as he changed his own clothes. Missy's clinginess was concerning him but he knew he couldn't be firm with her now. It wasn't fair on her right before bed, she'd never settle. As the Doctor returned to the bed, he noticed that Missy was crying softly, her tiny frame shaking under the duvet. "Hey, shh, shh. Missy, what's wrong?" The Doctor asked gently as he joined her under the covers, lifting his arm and letting her nestle under it. "I thought you were leaving me on my own for the night" Missy replied meekly "I was frightened of being on my own. They used to do that to me" she added, still trembling under the Doctor's arm. "Sweetheart, I didn't even leave the room. I just told you, we're sharing this room for as long as we're here. Now, who used to do what to you?" he asked running a hand through her hair and feeling her relax in his arms. "I don't know who they were. It was in the faction or on Gallifrey, I'm not really sure. I'm a bit confused about where I was and when, it's all foggy. I just know they used to leave me on my own in a cell. It was dark there and cold. I don't like the cold" Missy broke off with a yawn. The Doctor wondered whether her mind was playing tricks on her because of her tiredness but he didn't want to discourage her from talking. "Okay, Missy. Right now, you don't need to think about any of that. You can just have a nice rest with me and I'll be here all night. If you wake up and get scared, wake me up and we'll sit here together until you feel better. How does that sound?" The Doctor said, lifting his arm slightly as Missy turned to face him. "Yes, I'd like to rest here. It's okay to go to sleep, isn't it Doctor?" She asked looking up at him from under hooded eyes. "Yes, love, it's fine to go to sleep. Why don't you close your eyes now and try and sleep, hmm?" the Doctor cooed, tenderly stroking her cheek as though lulling her to sleep. "Yes, yes. I will, but Doctor, I don't like the silence. It's too noisy in my mind for silence" Missy said sleepily, starting to close her eyes but forcing them open at the last second. "Nighttimes are hard, I know Missy, but you look very tired and I think if you close your eyes you'll be asleep very quickly. Would you like me to tell you a story while you're trying to get to sleep?" The Doctor asked, knowing that she had settled a lot easier in the past while he was rambling away. When she felt better, she always joked that it was his boring stories that put her to sleep, but he knew deep down that she found it comforting. Missy nodded against his chest, "I just want to hear your voice please" she whispered, reaching up to him. "Okay, I'll tell you some stories, but you have to close your eyes for me." The Doctor said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly, Missy continued looking up at him unblinkingly. "Come on, sweetheart, close your eyes and I'll tell you some stories" the Doctor encouraged, noting her reluctance. Eventually, Missy relented and closed her eyes as she nestled closer to the Doctor's chest. "Good girl. Now, this story begins a very long time ago, on a planet completely underwater" the Doctor started, remembering how Missy had liked the documentary from earlier. "Were those fish there? The colourful ones" Missy mumbled, opening her eyes blearily and staring up at him "Yes, they were all there. Hundreds of colourful fish all different sizes, some were tiny, no bigger than my little finger and others were nearly the same size as the Titanic. Close your eyes, Missy" the Doctor soothed stroking her cheek softly, watching as her eyes flickered shut. The Doctor could tell she was close to falling asleep and continued with the story, though really it had no plot, it was more just a way of filling the silence. Eventually, the Doctor felt Missy's breathing even out as she fell into a light sleep and he thought he'd be okay to stop talking. "Doctor?" Missy mumbled, voice heavy with sleep, "I'm still here. I thought you were asleep, I bet you want me to finish the story?" He said, rubbing her back. "Mhmm. I was a bit asleep but I thought you were gone" Missy mumbled. "I'm still here. Now, we were talking about the fish, weren't we?" The Doctor stated, knowing that Missy wasn't really listening to what he was saying and carried on talking softly, this time only stopping once he was sure she was asleep. It was only a few minutes before Missy was asleep again and this time she stayed that way.

It was then that the Doctor realised he wasn't tired himself, having slept for nearly an hour earlier. Deciding to do something practical with his time, he got up and quietly unpacked the clothes Kate had given Missy. Then, he began working adapting an old baby monitor that he found at the bottom of the bag by adding a camera to it. This way, the Doctor hoped he'd be able to leave Missy alone to sleep but still keep an eye on her in case she had a funny turn. Turning the device over in his hand, the Doctor let a proud smile fall onto his lips. Glancing over at the bed, he noticed Missy was starting to stir. It had only been about an hour or so, he noted, walking over to the edge of the bed "hey you, what are you doing awake already? I thought you were tired" the Doctor said softly as he reached the head of the bed and saw Missy looking up at him with wide eyes. She still looked half asleep and the Doctor wondered if something had woken her up. "I am tired. I, I woke up. I need the toilet. That's why" Missy mumbled easing herself up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed, making her way to stand up. "Okay, let me help you" he said, noticing how disorientated she was. "Then you can go back to bed, hmm?" the Doctor said as he led her down the hallway and into the bathroom. Missy yawned, leaning into him. "Do you want me to wait outside?" The Doctor asked as he sat her down "no, just stay here please" he heard Missy whisper as he turned away. "Okay, just tell me when you're ready to go back" he said, continuing facing away from her. After a few minutes, the Doctor heard the toilet flush and tap start running. "I'm ready now. I want to go back to bed and sleep" she said looping her arm through the Doctor's. "Okay, back to bed then" he said as the pair returned to the bedroom. Nearly as soon as Missy laid back down, she was fast asleep again. The Doctor joined her on the bed, watching her toss and turn in her sleep. It was going to be a long night.


	26. Chapter Twenty-six

The Doctor watched as Missy continued to sleep fitfully for about an hour. "No, no. I don't want to be here. Why am I back here?" Missy started to mumble, hitting out in her sleep and growing more distressed. "Shh, shh. You're dreaming, Missy it's not real" the Doctor tried to reassure as he watched her wake up with a jolt and jump out of the bed and away from him. The sudden movement appeared to hurt her back and the Doctor watched with concern as she winced in pain. It's not been an easy pregnancy for you this one, has it? I would apologise but it has been fantastic entertainment for us here on Gallifrey. Now what seems to be the problem this time? Is it still the back ache. Missy scrunched her eyes shut as she tried to banish Rassilon's mocking voice, it was completely dark in the room and she desperately wanted the Doctor but couldn't find her way out of her mind. "No, please. I was tired, I just wanted to sleep. Why are you always here? I want the Doctor. I'm scared" she sobbed, sinking to the ground. The Doctor watched helplessly as Missy became more hysterical, realising that Rassilon had chosen to plague her in the middle of the night. "Kos, it's me. You were dreaming, whatever happened wasn't real" he tried, approaching her carefully watching her cradle her head in her hands as she curled in on herself. Ah, here he comes. Your Doctor here to save the day again Rassilon taunted as Missy opened her eyes and tried to focus on the Doctor. "He's here again. Always here" Missy mumbled, blinking and feeling her head start to ache again. Everything ached. She was so tired. "I know, it's horrible but can you try and listen to my voice like you did earlier. I know it's difficult but you're already doing really well by telling me what's happening" the Doctor guided gently as he knelt in front of her. "My head hurts" she cried reaching out for the Doctor, suddenly feeling the need to be grounded in physical reality. "Okay, let's go and lay back down on the bed together. How does that sound?" The Doctor pressed, helping her up and guiding her to the bed. "Yes. Can you make it go away please. I don't like it" Missy cried as they reached the bed. "I know you don't sweetheart, come on now, lay down with me. I'm going to try and make it go away" the Doctor tried again helping Missy lay down on the bed, relieved when she settled looking up at him with wide eyes. "Would you like me to get you some water?" The Doctor asked, stroking her forehead and watching as Missy shook her head. "No, don't go anywhere please. Can you lay down with me again?" Missy whispered, breaking off with a groan as her head began aching again. The Doctor watched sympathetically as the Time Lady pressed her face into the pillow stifling a sob in an attempt to control the pain. "Oh sweetheart, of course I can" the Doctor said, walking around to the other side of the bed and laying down next to Missy. As he placed his hand on her back, he felt Missy jolt against his touch. "It's okay, it's okay just me" he soothed as he felt her settle again, turning to face him and mumbling softly to herself. "Are you still in pain?" He asked softly, massaging fingers into her scalp and feeling her nod under his touch. "My head is thumping and the room is spinning" she muttered closing her eyes and leaning against the Doctor's chest. "Okay, why don't you close your eyes and try and go back to sleep?" The Doctor suggested feeling her drift on the edge of sleep, dozing slightly and then jolting herself awake. "Mhm I want to sleep. I was sleeping and he woke me up" Missy explained, unaware she'd dozed off and reaching out for the Doctor who obligingly took her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "I know you were. Try to go back to sleep sweetheart, I think your headache will get better if you sleep" the Doctor soothed, tracing circles in her back as he felt her dozing again. After a few more seconds, the Doctor heard Missy groan and start talking again, her voice heavy with sleep. "The baby's moving again" Missy muttered shuffling slightly in discomfort before falling back into a light sleep. The Doctor continued to rub her back, hoping he could help with her discomfort. "Okay, just try and sleep" he cooed hearing her start to snore softly. Missy stayed asleep for another few minutes waking up again and picking up the conversation where she left off, seemingly unaware that she had fallen asleep again. "It feels all fluttery in my stomach" she breathed out, hazily looking up at the Doctor, "can you make it stop please?" Missy pleaded, turning onto her back in an attempt to find a more comfortable position. The Doctor let out a sigh as he rolled over to face her, "I don't think there is anything I can do, I'm sorry" he said reluctantly, hoping she'd be able to find a more settled position and get some proper sleep. Missy let her head roll to the side, "I know. It's not your fault, I'm just uncomfortable" she sighed, closing her eyes and trying to return to sleep. "Where can you feel the baby moving?" The Doctor asked tentatively, hovering his hand over the small bump. "Here" Missy whispered guiding the Doctor's hand to her lower abdomen. In turn, the Doctor gently ran his hand across the growing bump. "I can't feel anything yet" he whispered, "I guess it's still too early for anyone other than you to feel the movements." The Doctor concluded, sounding slightly disappointed. "Lucky me" Missy retorted bitterly, kicking against the sheets in frustration and discomfort letting out a sob. "Hush now, you're okay" the Doctor tried to soothe as he continued running his hand across her stomach, hoping he was doing something right. "Is this helping at all?" He asked, noting that she'd settled slightly. "A bit. Thank you, I just want to sleep though" Missy sighed. "I know you do, love, close your eyes and try to sleep" he guided gently watching her close her eyes. "I'm going to try now" she muttered, voice heavy with sleep before a small snore escaped her lips. The Doctor watched on, taking in her tired features and hoping that she would have now settled for the night. There was no such luck and Missy woke up several times over the course of the night. Most times, there was just mumbled crying as she forgot and re-remembered what was happening. On some occasions, she was much more coherent and apologised to the Doctor as she promised to be better tomorrow. Eventually, in the early hours of the morning, Missy settled into a deep sleep and the Doctor found himself able to walk around the room and start reading an old novel.

The Doctor woke with a start as he heard the beeping of the car horn as the outskirts of London came to life with the morning rush hour. Glancing over at Missy, she was still sound asleep in bed curled up on her side and looking more relaxed than he'd seen her recently. He was glad she was still asleep, it was only eight am and she only really settled at about four. One symptom of her pregnancy was tiredness and she was going to need plenty of sleep to prevent the symptoms worsening. The Doctor was surprised, however, that he had fallen to sleep- he must have been more tired than he realised. Either that or the novel he was reading was more boring than he thought. Downstairs, he could hear Clara pottering around in the kitchen and decided to set up the monitor to keep an eye on Missy and head downstairs himself. As he left the room, he decided to leave the door ajar hoping that when Missy woke up she would realise they were downstairs and be comfortable enough to come and join them.

Clara was filling the kettle with water as the Doctor opened the door and took a seat at the table. "Morning" he commented as Clara set the kettle to boil, making her jump slightly as she hadn't realised the Time Lord had joined her in the kitchen. "Oh, Morning. Sorry, did I wake you up? I was trying to be quiet" She commented, watching the Doctor shake his head. "No, the traffic woke me up and then I heard you were up" the Doctor explained, looking out the back window at the small garden. There was a tiny patio with a set of table and chairs that would be ideal for eating outside if the weather was good, as today looked set to be. Missy liked gardens, he remembered, and maybe it could be a calm way of getting her to spend some time outside. "Ah well that's okay then" Clara said, drawing him from his thoughts, "do you fancy a cuppa?" She asked opening a cupboard and retrieving two cups when she saw the Doctor nod. "Here you are" Clara said passing him his cup across the table and watching him fiddle with the small device he'd brought down with him. "Thanks. Did you sleep okay?" The Doctor asked, smiling as he managed to get the monitor to work and could see Missy was still fast asleep. "Yes, I was gone as soon as my head hit the pillow" Clara laughed taking a sip of her tea. "How was Missy last night?" Clara asked furrowing her brow at the monitor. "It's to keep an eye on Missy, in case she wakes up while I'm down here" the Doctor explained as he saw Clara's confused expression. "And she wasn't good. Took a while to settle and woke up several times in the night. That bastard, Rassilon, decided to torment her just as she fell to sleep and then the baby was moving around and it made her uncomfortable. Settled eventually at about four this morning and was still sound asleep when I left her. I want to leave her to sleep as long as possible because I think she'll be better for it" the Doctor finished, watching Clara nod. "You sound like you've been up all night with a baby that wouldn't settle" she joked, pleased when the Doctor saw the funny side and chuckled. "Aye and it's been hundreds of years since I was up all night soothing a baby" the Doctor reminisced fondly as he thought back to his family on Gallifrey. After a moment of silence and noticing the far away glint in the Doctor's eye, Clara decided to change the subject. "So what's the plan for today? Kate's managed to get me some time off work and I'll be able to help out more" Clara explained, wondering if the Doctor had formulated a plan. "I don't know, Kate's calling at some point but other than that, I haven't got much planned. I think it's going to be a pretty boring day, if I'm honest, I'd like to keep things settled for Missy. You really didn't need to take time off, I don't expect you to be around all the time" the Doctor said, finishing his tea. Clara shrugged, "I know you didn't expect me to, but I wanted to. Anyway, the school hasn't been the same since Danny and it's nearly the holidays. I'd rather help out here." The Doctor nodded, undeniably grateful that Clara would be around, "well thank you. I really appreciate it."

The pair fell into a companionable silence, eating breakfast and watching the morning TV.

It had been about an hour and a half when both Clara and the Doctor heard the stairs creaking. "That's good" the Doctor commented, glancing at the monitor, "she's gotten herself out of bed and didn't seem to be overly distressed that I wasn't there. Will you open the door so she knows we're in here?" He asked, watching as the young woman pulled the door open and joined the Doctor at the table. "When she comes in, just act as normal as possible" the Doctor advised, hoping that Missy would make it all the way to the kitchen on her own. "That's easier for me than it is for you" Clara teased poking out her tongue. "Ha ha" the Doctor deadpanned before looking out into the hallway and spotting Missy making her way slowly to the kitchen. Eventually, the Time Lady made it to the kitchen and paused at the threshold, unsure whether she should go in or not. "Good morning, Missy" the Doctor said cheerfully, smiling at her as her blue eyes scanned the kitchen. Missy hesitantly returned his smile, before looking pensively at Clara as she stayed just outside the room. "Morning" Clara chirped, noticing the woman was more alert than she had been last night but still seemed on edge. It must have been hard for her having to be around relative strangers when she was like this. After all, it was usually only the Doctor that saw her when she was like this. "Would you like a cup of tea?" She asked, hoping the woman would soon enter the kitchen and feel more at ease with her being there. "Am I allowed a cup of tea?" She asked hesitantly her voice low and uncertain as she looked from the Doctor to Clara. "Of course you are. I'll get it for you now, do you want milk and sugar?" Clara asked Missy who lowered her head and looked to the Doctor as she stood anxiously in the door way. "She has milk and three sugars" the Doctor informed Clara who nodded and started making the tea. "Come and sit down, Missy, you don't need to hover at the door" the Doctor said gently, watching the Time Lady walk over to the seat next to him. "So, three sugars? Time Lords sure like their sugar if you two are anything to go by. I guess you lot don't have to worry about diabetes or tooth decay" Clara said as she passed the tea to Missy who accepted with a whispered thank you. "We're not the typical Time Lords anyway" the Doctor laughed, watching Missy tense out of the corner of his eye. "Stop talking about them" Missy hissed, eyes darting around the kitchen and falling on the fruit bowl in the middle of the table. "Okay, we won't talk about them" the Doctor consoled, realising that talking about them would be too much for her at the moment, even in jest. Clara guiltily mouthed sorry over at the Doctor who dismissed her, reassuring there was no need to apologise. The pair watched as Missy sipped her tea and rested a hand on her bump, almost lovingly tracing her thumb along it. "How long have you two been up?" Missy asked after a while, breaking the silence. Her mind had been alive with activity again since waking up but, unlike previously, Missy had enjoyed this activity. It wasn't Rassilon or memories that were plaguing her this morning. This time it had just been the baby reaching out for her in another attempt to bond and Missy had felt more receptive towards it as she actually enjoyed the intimacy of interacting with the baby. It was still too early for the baby to articulate any concrete thoughts, it was more just abstract emotions, letting Missy know that they were there, when they felt safe or when they recognised something or someone familiar outside of their little world.

When the Doctor started talking, the baby's mental presence became a flurry of activity again excited at recognising the voice of the only other kind Gallifreyan they'd encountered so far. They're the same. They're kind the baby projected to it's mother happily, making Missy smile warmly. "We got up about eight, so just coming up to two hours ago" the Doctor said watching Missy with curiosity as he saw her calmly smiling, nodding to acknowledge him before returning back to her own world. That's right little pea. He's just like us and we're the only two Time Lords you can ever trust. That's the Doctor, well I guess he'll be your uncle Theta Missy projected back to the infant, breath hitching as she remembered her loom-born daughter that had been the last person to call the Doctor uncle Theta. "When did you wake up sweetheart?" the Doctor pressed keen to know how much sleep she had had and noting the sudden change in her demeanor from calmness to anxiousness. "I woke up about nine, I think, but I fell back to sleep for ten minutes or so. Then I realised that you weren't there" Missy trailed off, feeling the baby's presence dim in the back of her mind as it fell to sleep. "You came down here really well, Missy" the Doctor praised, wanting to reassure her that she had done the right thing. "I was a bit worried that I'd disturb you two but I didn't want to stay upstairs alone" Missy said now able to fully focus on the Doctor and Clara.

"You weren't intruding. This is where you're living too, you need to feel comfortable" Clara said softly, watching Missy nod. "I guess. I wish we were on the Tardis though, I know it there. Even though it's not the best model, it's the closest thing to a home I have. Are you sure we can't go back there, Doctor? Me and you and...and Clara, you can come too but we can leave here" Missy enthused, eyes widening as she became carried away by the idea. Clara looked to the Doctor as his expression darkened and he tried to figure out a way of calming Missy down. "Missy" he warned looking at her carefully, "you know we can't go to the Tardis. We spoke about this yesterday, do you remember?" The Doctor said calmly to the Time Lady, who nodded as her eyes glazed over with fresh tears. Last night had been horrible, she remembered waking up every hour and feeling ill at ease in the new house. Of course, she still felt nervous in the Tardis but she settled a lot quicker there than in some strange environment. When she was on the Tardis, they would usually stay in the vortex and no one would be able to reach them. Here, every creak made her jump and realising that Gordon was being held not that far from the house made her nervousness even worse. "But it's strange, I've never lived in a house on earth. Not properly, anyway and not when I'm not well like this. It doesn't feel right. Their security isn't as good as ours, Doctor. Anyone could come in and I'm not in a position to fight them off and you'd be against it on a moral stand and Clara, well, Clara I'm not being funny but you'd be like a little Jack Russell yapping at their ankles" Missy pressed, growing more agitated as she thought of the faction leader being able to enter the house. Clara, trying to ignore being compared to a dog yet again and realising that Missy was wary of a particular someone, tried to reassure the Time Lady. "Who do you think will break into the house?" Clara asked, watching as the Doctor also realised the real cause of Missy's reluctance to stay in the house. "Anyone could. I've seen Crime Watch, humans break into houses more than I break out of prisons" Missy rambled in an attempt to sound convincing. "Gordon's not going to break in here, Missy" Clara said looking over to the Time Lady who tensed and lowered her head. "You don't know that. We know the Time Lords are working with that faction and they could let him out of the prison and he'd know we were living here because he could access the files and things" Missy said frantically, looking at the Doctor. "You know what they're capable of Theta. Rassilon, I think it was Rassilon but it might have been the other voices, they told me they would let him out and he'd go back to the faction and I'd have to go back there too."

The Doctor watched on as Missy finished her pleading; he knew full well what the Time Lords were capable of but he also knew when the Mistress was being paranoid. The sound of a plane flying over the house interrupted the conversation and the Doctor and Clara looked on as Missy covered her ears and scrunched her eyes shut. "It's so loud here. It's not loud on the Tardis and you said I needed to relax. How can I relax when it's so loud?" Missy muttered, uncovering her ears and blinking her eyes open as the noise faded into the distance. The Doctor knew that Missy found loud noises distressing when she felt like she was in a low mood and spiralling out of control, they always reminded her of the Time War. It was ironic because when she was well, or having a manic episode, she revelled in noise and was usually the one making it. "I know the noises can be unsettling but we've been sat here for a while and how many loud noises have you heard?" the Doctor said, trying to reason with Missy who began scratching her arms. "Come on, sweetheart, don't start that again. We're staying here and I promise you're going to be safe" the Doctor said firmly watching Missy calm slightly and open her mouth to respond.

A sudden ringing on the Doctor's mobile stopped Missy who jumped and became jittery at the new noise. The small phone moved along the wooden table with each ring until the Doctor picked it up and spotted the Head of Unit's name flash across the screen. "It's okay, just my phone. Kate said she'd ring to see how everything went last night" the Doctor reassured Missy who he could still see trembling and growing smaller as she sat next to him. "Would you be able to speak to her for me, Clara? Tell her I'll speak to her in about five minutes" he said as he handed the phone across to Clara who nodded, answering the mobile and leaving the room. Turning his attention back to Missy, he smiled asking "What were you going to say, love?" Missy looked over at the Doctor, considering telling him what she was thinking but deciding against it. She was already being too clingy and weak. At the back of her mind, she felt the baby start to stir. Shh, shh go back to sleep little pea she projected quickly, feeling the infant's presence drift as they shifted position and settled back to sleep. Shaking her head, Missy muttered "nothing" leading to the Doctor raising his eyebrows and shaking his own head. "No, don't do this, you know you feel worse when you keep things to yourself. Tell me what you were going to say" he tried again, watching Missy bow her head and let out a resigned sigh before raising her eyes to his level and chewing her lower lip. "Go on, love" he encouraged with a smile. "So much is changing. It's a lot to get used to and things are confusing. I know I'm being clingy and hard work but I can't help it I'm really scared and I honestly don't know what to do" she confessed, desperate to scratch at her arms but resisting and stretching her pyjama sleeves to cover her hands instead. "You have every right to feel like that" the Doctor soothed, offering his hands out to Missy when he saw her struggling to restrain from scratching at her arms, smiling when she placed her hands in his and giving them a quick squeeze for reassurance. "You're not doing this on your own though. Now you're not feeling as tired as yesterday, we can go over some things so you don't feel as confused and we can talk about what we're going to do. How does that sound?" The Doctor asked watching Missy consider his suggestion. "Yes, I'd like to go over things. I know yesterday happened but it was all a bit of a blur and I was so tired, I can't remember much about it. We can go over it together now I'm a bit more awake?" Missy questioned and the Doctor noted how unsure she sounded as she spoke slowly and quietly and he wondered when she would get back to being a bit more stable. Hopefully she would settle down during the pregnancy, it couldn't be good for either her or the baby if she carried on like this for the next few months. "That's right, we'll go over things a bit later on. I need to go and talk to Kate but Clara will come back in here with you. You haven't had anything to eat yet, would you like some breakfast?" The Doctor asked watching Missy's brows knit as she removed her hands from his and ran them over her face. "I forgot about food. I don't usually eat regular meals" she muttered, wringing her hands in her lap. "I know, you're as bad as me with your eating and sleeping habits but while this is going on you need to get into a routine. Clara can get you some toast or something this morning, what do you think?" the Doctor suggested gently with a smile watching Missy shake her head. "I feel a bit sick. I don't want to be sick" she explained, nibbling on her thumb. "Have you been sick this morning?" The Doctor asked, suddenly remembering the morning sickness and feeling guilty that he hadn't already checked. "No, but I feel sick" Missy repeated as her eyes followed a magpie that landed in the garden and hopped along the patio. The Doctor nodded "it's one of the symptoms, remember?" He asked, unsure what Missy remembered. "Yes, I know" Missy replied absently, still not looking away from the garden even as the magpie flew off. The Doctor found himself thinking he was right that she would enjoy spending some time in the garden, he might suggest they go out there this afternoon. Right now, though, he needed to know she was present in the room and was grasping what he was saying. It was always hard to distinguish between her moments of lucidity and confusion. "Sweetheart, can you look at me while we're talking please?" The Doctor said patiently, smiling when she turned to face him. "Yes...yes..." Missy breathed as she blinked a few times, struggling to stay focused on the Doctor. "Thank you. Well done" he praised, noting how hard she was working to ground herself and remain present. "We were talking about you trying to have some breakfast. I know you said you felt sick but you might feel better if you try just a little bit of food" the Doctor encouraged. "And, if you're sick, Missy, you're sick. I know it's horrible but the morning sickness should start to ease soon" he continued knowing that the reason the Time Lady was so worried about vomiting was more to do with her fear of losing control than actually being sick. "Okay, okay. I'll try some toast" Missy nodded adding distractedly, "I'm sorry I kicked off about the house, I know we can't stay on the Tardis." The Doctor laughed "an apology and agreeing to do what I say. Wow." The quip earned the Doctor a slight laugh from Missy who replied with a sly "don't get to used to it." It was a tiny glimpse of her normal persona and reassured the Doctor that things could get better. "I wouldn't dream of it" he chuckled, turning to leave the kitchen, "I'll be back soon. In the meantime, Clara can get you some breakfast" Missy nodded, "please be back soon." she whispered weakly, making the Doctor's heart sink as he headed out into the hallway, leaving the door ajar so they could still keep an eye on Missy.

As he approached Clara, he noticed that she had just hung up the phone. He must have been longer than he realised. "I'm sorry, I couldn't just leave her like that" he said quietly, looking back into the kitchen and watching Missy sitting perfectly still as she stared out the window. "It's fine. Kate understood, I said you'd call her back" Clara said, passing him the phone and following his gaze to Missy. "Is she more settled?" Clara questioned, nodding her head towards the Time Lady. The Doctor moved his head from side to side, "sort of. I'm going to call Kate back now. Will you be able to make Missy some toast? I'd like her to eat something, she might try and protest but she agreed to try a bit of food. If she gets too much, just make the toast and I'll deal with her when I get back" the Doctor said pulling up the call log on the phone and beginning to ring Kate. "Sure" Clara smiled heading into the kitchen and closing the door behind her. "Ah Doctor, I wasn't expecting you to call back so soon. I was only checking in on how it went last night and to update you on Missy's blood tests" Kate said breezily, not sounding as tired as she had done last night. At least someone had had a good night's sleep, the Doctor thought. Then he realised what Kate had said. Sitting on the stairs, he ran a hand over his face as he composed himself before asking the question that had been plaguing him since his meeting with Gordon. At this stage, he was ninety per cent certain that Gordon was the father of the child. It would make sense, combining the course of drugs that made Missy's body more compatible with a human pregnancy and ensuring that the child had human DNA meant that the pregnancy was more likely to be successful. "Is...Kate, is the baby half human?" He asked hoarsely, fearing the problems Missy would have bonding with a child that was half human in the crucial first month in which womb-born Gallifreyans needed a close attachment to their mothers to catch up with their loomed counterparts. "Yes" Kate said quickly, hearing the Doctor inhale sharply. "It looks like Gordon is the father. I'm sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear. The good news is that this child will be more compatible with a human pregnancy. Missy will be unlikely to have to suffer another stillbirth" Kate said softly and the Doctor had to admit he was pleased Missy wouldn't have to go through that again. "She's terrified Gordon's going to come to the house, Kate, how's she going to bond with a baby that has his DNA?" the Doctor voiced aloud everything that he'd been fearing. "I don't know what to tell you, Doctor. All I can say is she trusts you and I know you're going to support her" Kate sighed, unsure what else to say. The Doctor just grunted. "Is there anything I can do to reassure Missy that Gordon won't be able to get to the house?" Kate asked wanting them all to feel comfortable in the house. On the other end of the line, she heard the Doctor sniff back a few tears. "No, she's calmed down a bit and I don't want to remind her" he said eventually, sighing when he heard mumblings of a conversation from the kitchen followed by Missy asking for the Doctor in that quiet voice that hurt him to hear. "Okay, look, I'll let you get settled and pop around tomorrow to go over things with you. In the meantime, you know you can contact me whenever" Kate said, sensing the Doctor's distraction. "Thanks Kate. I'll speak to you soon"

"If the Doctor is just in the hallway, why can't we have the door open so I can see him?" Missy asked accusingly pointing in the direction of the door. "I've told you Missy, he's on the phone and will be back in a minute. Now can you try and have a bit of that toast?" Clara repeated, as calmly as possible as she sat opposite the Time Lady and tried for about the fifth time to get her to eat, realising that she might have to admit defeat and wait for the Doctor to come back. "Aren't you going to eat anything?" Missy asked the woman, feeling under immense pressure at being the only one eating. "I ate earlier, but how about we make a compromise and share the toast? I'll have a slice and you have a slice" Clara suggested watching Missy consider her suggestion and reluctantly agree. "Okay" Missy said picking up one of the slices and pushing the plate towards Clara as she looked sideways at the door. "Thank you" Clara smiled at the Time Lady watching as she looked back to her and began nibbling at the crust.

Looking at Missy as she picked at the toast and ate slowly, Clara was reminded of the time a year nine student had confided in her about the abuse she'd suffered at the hands of her step father. The girl had looked so small and broken when they sat together waiting for the police and Clara tried to convince her to have a drink. Never in a million years did Clara think she'd compare the Mistress to a frightened, young girl. But yet, here they were. "None of the others have seen me like this" Missy said softly to Clara as though she had read the teacher's mind. Could she do that? Clara found herself wondering. "It's strange to be around others, not just the Doctor" she added, almost by way of an explanation. Clara nodded, unsure whether she was expected to respond or not. She decided to let the Time Lady carry on. "Sometimes I know I'm not well, sometimes I don't realise and it gets jumbled. I know I'm being weak but I don't really know what to do. Everything's feeling strange. Yesterday was a really bad day and today feels like a bad day. Not really bad, just bad. Tomorrow, I will try and make it an okay day. I just needed to explain to you so you know it's not an act or part of a plan or something. I'm trying to get better" Missy trailed off, placing her half eaten slice of toast back on the plate. Clara nodded, "I know this isn't an act Missy and you don't need to explain yourself. Do you mind me being here with you and the Doctor? I want you to feel comfortable in here too" the small brunette asked the Time Lady. "I want you to stay. This is worse than it's ever been for me in here" Missy said pointing to her head, then lowering her palm to her stomach "and with all this pregnancy stuff. I need you to be sure that the Doctor's remembers to look after himself too" Missy explained to Clara who suddenly understood what the Doctor had meant about how quickly Missy could switch from moments of confusion to moments of lucidity. "Okay. I just wanted to check" Clara nodded eyeing Missy as she paled and covered her mouth. Instinctively, Clara reached for the plastic tub in the sink "here, it's okay" she said passing the tub to Missy and cringing as she saw the Time Lady retch the contents of her stomach. "Okay, better out than in" Clara tried to soothe as she watched Missy push away the tub and rest her head on her arms, crying softly. Rubbing Missy's back, Clara continued in her attempts to soothe "you're okay, it's just a little bit of sick." "I don't like it. I want the Doctor now, please, he's been gone too long" Missy murmured to herself and Clara found herself agreeing with the Time Lady on that part. "It's horrible, I know, I'm going to see if I can get the Doctor" Clara said softly heading into the hallway and finding the Doctor sat on the stairs with his head in his hands.

"Hey, are you okay?" Clara said drawing the Time Lord from his thoughts. "Yes, yes, sorry. I just needed a minute. Kate had Missy's blood results. Looks like the child is half human, Gordon's probably the father" the Doctor muttered watching Clara's eyes widen. "How am I going to tell her?" The Doctor asked, not really expecting an answer. "I don't think you can right now, Doctor, she's too unstable for that. She's asking for you, she was a bit sick and it's shaken her" Clara explained, wary of leaving the Time Lady for too long on her own. The Doctor stood up, nodding and making his way to the kitchen. "Did she eat anything?" He asked watching Clara nod, "not much, though. A slice of toast and it didn't stay down long." Reaching the kitchen, the Doctor sighed as he saw Missy sobbing to herself as she rested her head on her arms. "Hey, hey what's all this about?" the Doctor said softly, pulling up a chair close to the Time Lady as Clara set about cleaning up the table. "Doctor?" Missy looked up and the Doctor noticed how pale she was. "Yes, it's me" he reassured, pushing a curl out of her eyes and feeling the beads of sweat that dotted across her forehead. "I was sick. I told you I felt sick" Missy said reaching out for him and trying to plant herself in his lap. The Doctor allowed her to settle herself in his lap, noting her extra weight and realising they wouldn't be able to sit like this in even a month's time. "You did tell me you felt sick. It's the morning sickness, sweetheart" the Doctor soothed running a hand down Missy's back and watching her nuzzle into his shoulder. "Yes, but it's horrible. I don't like it" Missy murmured against the Doctor's shoulder. "I know, it's not very nice. How about having a bit of water?" the Doctor encouraged, feeling Missy nod and watching Clara retrieve a small glass of water. "Here you go" the Doctor smiled holding the glass to Missy's lips as she took a few sips. Turning her face away when the glass was nearly empty, Missy settled back against the Doctor's chest. "There we go" the Doctor said stroking her hair, "better?" "Yes, better but I don't want anything else to eat yet" Missy said, still feeling nauseous in the pit of her stomach. "Okay" the Doctor agreed reluctantly, noting that he'd try again in an hour or so. "Can I go back to bed?" Missy asked suddenly, looking up pleadingly at the Doctor who sighed. He knew she wasn't tired and just wanted to lock herself away; he couldn't let her fall into the habit of just laying there. "No, love, you're not tired. It's not good for you to fall into that habit. You'll feel better if you do something" the Doctor said calmly, watching Missy scrunch her eyes shut. "Please, please. I don't want to be awake" the Time Lady continued, holding onto the Doctor's shirt. "Missy, no" he replied firmly, more firmly than he had intended, leaving her with no doubt that he wouldn't be letting her go back to bed. Clara watched the scene unfold and went to open the window to let some air in. The Doctor was tense and his patience was thinning, not necessarily with Missy but with the situation. "It's a really lovely day out, Missy. It would be a shame to waste it in bed" Clara said, sitting down at the table watching the Time Lady turn around to face her and then look out at the garden as the warm breeze warmed her face. "Would you like to go out there, Missy? You like gardens and you can take a book out there" the Doctor said, following her gaze and trying to make up for his slight outburst. "I do like gardens. Just that garden, not outside the house though?" Missy questioned. The Doctor nodded, one step at a time- get her outside first and then they'd take steps at actually leaving the property. "Yes just out there, sweetheart. Let's go and get dressed and then we can go out there, okay?" He said, encouraging her to stand up. "I'll see you both out there, I'm going to get dressed myself" Clara said, excusing herself and heading upstairs. "Do you have books, Thete?" Missy said as they made their own way up the stairs and to the bedroom. "What's that?" The Doctor asked, slightly confused. "I'd like to read, you said I could read outside but do you have any books?" Missy clarified as she sat down on the bed and the Doctor retrieved the purple maxi dress from the wardrobe holding it up to Missy who nodded. "Oh yes, I have bought some books off the Tardis. You can look in a minute. Can you start getting out of your pyjamas for me, love?" The Doctor asked, determined to try and get her a bit more independent and smiling as she started to undress. "Thank you. Your underwear is in the drawer to your right" he directed watching Missy open the oak bedside cabinet and retrieve a pair of knickers and bra, putting them on herself and reaching for the dress that he had placed on the bed. The Doctor turned his back, retrieving his own checkered trousers and black t shirt from the wardrobe and getting dressed himself. He was pleasantly surprised that Missy had sorted herself out and was now sat dressed and ready to go outside. He'd expected her to protest some more or attempt to get back into bed, however, she actually seemed quite enthused at the prospect of going outside. Delving into his jacket pocket, the Doctor grabbed the books he'd managed to bring off the Tardis. "Here are the books, love, I don't have that many. In fact, you'll probably get through most of these today" he said turning to see Missy staring ahead tracing her fingers across her stomach. "Hush now, little pea, you're safe. I'm not angry at you. No, no it's certainly not your fault little pea" she said in Gallifreyan in a soft, sing song voice. It took the Doctor a while to realise that Missy wasn't talking to him. It had been hundreds of years since she'd called anyone 'little pea', it was before either of them had left Gallifrey, just after her daughter had been loomed.

Pre-war Gallifrey some 1,000 years ago...

It had been a cold day when Theta, who was fast approaching his third century of life, found himself padding down a narrow, uneven pathway to the modest house of Koschei and her husband, Yimin. At the stage, the two Time Lords weren't the Doctor and the Master. They weren't the last of their kind or the last of their kind that they could trust. No, at this stage, they were full-time friends, part-time lovers and only seasonal adversaries. Armed with a small, pastel-coloured gift bag, he had agreed to visit in the early evening when Yimin would be starting his night shift. Theta's wife, Cilinzia had gone to visit their children in the Capitol where their eldest son was now working and their two daughters were still attending the Academy. Theta had been due to join his wife on the trip, that was until news came from Koschei three days ago that her daughter had been loomed healthily. The pride and excitement radiated from the psychic message that she had sent him as way of an invitation him to meet his new Goddaughter while Yimin was away. It was an offer Theta couldn't refuse, this new time tot was long-yearned for by Koschei and he couldn't wait to meet the new life that was beginning.

The problem was that neither Cilinzia or Yimin approved of their friendship. The disapproval wasn't unwarranted on either side. It was well known on Gallifrey that Theta and Koschei were inseparable lovers that shared a deep love greater than physical attraction. Surprisingly, though, this wasn't what bothered their spouses. In Yimin's case, it was pure envy that drove his disapproval. Theta had a way of settling Koschei when she was in the throes of a manic episode or a way of stirring her from her bouts of catatonic depression. Even in her youthful first centuries, Koschei's mind had plagued her and it had always been Theta that was there. Theta had a way with Koschei that Yimin could only dream of. The same had been true in reverse- when Theta was overcome by guilt and self-loathing, Koschei was the only one that could make him feel any better. In more recent centuries, the Mistress had found herself reflecting on the Doctor's chronic guilt wondering whether her friend had been born beating himself up over things completely out of his control. If they were born human, he would have made an excellent Catholic.

Unlike Yimin, jealousy wasn't what fueled Cilinzia's disapproval of Koschei. Theta's wife had never been able to handle his darker episodes and was actually happy to let Koschei talk him out of his cycle of guilt. No, Cilinzia had a much more valid reason than jealousy to dislike Theta's school friend. After all, her children's safety had been put in jeopardy by Koschei. In the Doctor and the Master's history, there have been many sad events. One event stands out more than most, taking place on a weekend about fifty years before the arrival of Koschei's daughter. This particular weekend Theta and Cilinzia entrusted their three children with Koschei while they went on a work trip with the science research centre they both worked for at the time. It was still a century and a half before the beginning of the Time War, but already, whisperings of an oncoming conflict were echoing off the walls of power. The research centre had issued compulsory training for all staff in preparation for the fast-approaching war. At the time, Theta and Cilinzia's children had been young and the couple didn't want to take them on the trip. It was too dangerous, not to mention boring for the young time children.

"I suppose my cousin out in the village could have them for a few days. We'd have to take them over there the day after tomorrow though and then head straight to the Capitol" Cilinzia had said in a hushed tone as she joined Theta in their living room. Closing his files on biological warfare, Theta looked up at his wife shaking his head. "We don't have a Tardis, it would take hours to get out to the village. Too much for the kids. I mean Unza might just about be able to handle it but not Daryn and Rilni. Anyway, we'd be exhausted by the time we made it to the training and by the looks of this" Theta, argued, waving the file in his hands "we need our wits' about us." Neither Theta or Cilinzia we pro-war, but they both knew they had no choice about aiding the war effort. In recent weeks, it had put a strain on their relationship while they both exhausted ways that they could object to the war while keeping their family safe. About a week ago they had accepted the inevitable. "Well what do you suggest, Thete? We can't leave them on their own and we can't take them with us. None of your family will have them" Cilinzia had spat harshly in a tone so unlike her normal, gentle one. Every tired line showed up on her face reflecting the sleepless nights of recent weeks. It was an expression mirrored on Theta's face as he sighed and looked back at his wife, turning their options over in his mind. "How about Koschei? She loves spending time with them and they love their aunt- they get spoiled rotten by her" Theta suggested quickly, watching his wife shake her head. "You know I like Koschei and I know she loves our children but I don't know how I feel about her looking after them on her own. She was only let out of prison a year ago, what kind of a mother would I be if I left my children in her charge? She killed people, Thete. People already look down on us for having anything to do with her" Cilinzia said softly, eyes full of worry. "I know, I know but she wasn't herself then. It's no excuse, but we've seen her weekly since she came out of prison and she's a lot more in control. This will be good for her, it'll give her some direction after being let go from the military. She can come and stay here, so the kids won't have to be unsettled. It'll be good practice for her too, you know she wants to have children of her own" Theta continued in an attempt to convince his wife. "And you know that the Council won't give her access to a loom for at least thirty years, not with her convictions and mental health issues. Even then, it will depend on her being in a steady marriage" Cilinzia sighed, weighing up the pros and cons of leaving her children with Koschei. "Is she taking all of her meds?" She asked eventually watching Theta nod enthusiastically, realising that his wife was warming to the idea. "Okay, invite her over tomorrow and she can stay with us for a few days before we leave. I'm not saying yes, I'm saying maybe. If she shows any sign of being unstable over the next few days then we'll take the kids to my cousin's." Theta's eyes lit up, "of course, you'll see, she's doing really well at the moment and this will mean so much to her. Thank you!" He had exclaimed, planting a kiss on his wife's cheek.

Over the two days that Koschei stayed, both Theta and Cilinzia had been impressed. As predicted, she doted on the three children and they loved spending time with their fun auntie who had all the energy that their parents didn't to run around with them and did the best voices for their bedtime stories. Cilinzia had watched attentively as Koschei took her medication with every meal and showed no outward sign of being unwell. Eventually, she agreed that leaving the children with Koschei was the best solution for everyone.

When they were departing for the training weekend, Koschei had waved the pair off from the doorstep, pulling a shawl tightly around her shoulders to protect from the morning chill. Cilinzia had decided it was best to leave early, before the children were up. Daryn was going through a clingy phase and the three year old would be impossible to settle if she saw her parents leaving. Cilinzia was walking ahead of Theta, waiting at the top of the drive for their transportation to arrive as he said goodbye to Koschei. "It took a lot to convince her to leave the children with you, Kos" he had said, drawing his friend into a firm hug. "Please don't prove me wrong. Take all your medication and if anything starts to get bad- anything at all- you call us. My children's lives are precious" he said, double checking Koschei carefully for signs of anything amiss. There was nothing obviously wrong, he'd watched her take her morning medication and she looked well- he'd even go as far as to say she looked happy. It was one of the first times he'd seen her genuinely smile since she had returned from prison. "Yes, I know, they're precious to me too. I promise, if I start to go loopy, I'll call you back. But, honestly, it'll all be fine. As soon as you're gone, I'm going to crawl back into bed with Rilni. I love watching her sleep, she's so peaceful. When they're all awake, I'll take them to the park. I take it they all still like rolling down the sand dunes?" She enquired, watching Cilinzia try and hurry her husband up as the car arrived. "Yes, they do. But make sure they take their shoes off before they traipse all the dust into the house. Also, Rilni will probably need your help climbing the dunes- she seems to forget she's only a year and a half when she races after the other two" Theta laughed, causing Koschei to break into a bigger smile. "Oh she is a plucky one, isn't she?" She chuckled, before turning serious. "Now you promise me something, be careful at this training. Things are getting bad in the Capitol, Thete, something big is coming" Koschei said ominously. Theta agreed, bidding farewell to his friend and feeling that his children were in safe hands and were going to have the time of their lives.

In hindsight, Theta and Cilinzia should have realised that seeing Koschei for a couple of days each week was different to the reality of her life on a day to day basis. It hadn't been long since she'd suffered her first major breakdown and there were many things that could trigger a relapse. Hindsight is a powerful thing though and at the time they had both felt that their children were safe in Koschei's care. The training had gone well, or as well as could be expected when they were preparing for a catastrophic war, and the couple were looking forward to seeing their children. It had been the longest time they had been away from them. As they reached the street they lived on Cilinzia turned to face Theta pensively. "Something's wrong, can't you feel it?" She had asked him. Admittedly, Theta could feel a nagging presence at the back of his mind belonging to Unza but he was refusing to let himself worry. "I'm sure he's just had too many sweets. You know what Kos is like, doesn't know how to say no to them. He's just hyperactive and probably doesn't even realise he's projecting" Theta tried to reassure his wife and himself. "No, this is different. If anything has happened to them, Thete..." "It won't have done, you saw them all together before we left, they were having a great time. Everything will be fine love" he continued to reassure opening the door and taking in the sight of the living room. It looked like a bomb had gone off. "Hello, we're home" Cilinzia shouted into the house when there was no sight of anyone. "We're in here, Mama" Unza shouted back to his mother from the kitchen as he placed dinner in front of his sisters' at the table. "See, everything's fi-" Theta started following his wife into the kitchen and halting when he saw his young son cooking by the hot stove. "Unza!" Cilinzia exclaimed rushing towards her son, "You know you shouldn't use the stove on your own" she continued, reaching her son and turning him around to face her, she gasped at the sight of his swollen and bruised face. "What happened to you, sweetheart? What's wrong with your face?" She asked urgently, already suspecting the answer. Theta was stood behind his daughters, mouth agape as he took in the scene. He felt sick looking at his son's bloodied face. How could he have let this happen? Please, Koschei, don't say this was your doing he thought to himself as he watched his young son lower his head and scuff his feet against the table leg. "It was an accident, she didn't mean to do it, Mama, she just got confused and scared. It was my fault really" Unza replied, quickly glancing to his father. Cilinzia scooped the boy into her arms, "oh, my baby, no it isn't your fault. You're already too much like your father, feeling guilty and making excuses for her" she cooed, scattering kisses across the boy's face before turning her attention to Theta who was still stood in shock at the door. "Find your friend, Theta, and get her out of our house before I do something I regret" she hissed through gritted teeth as she cradled the six year old. Theta was drawn out of his stupor, nodding a few times. "Yes, okay, yes. Unza, where is your auntie Kos?" He asked, approaching the small boy who was snuggling into his mother as she set about using her regeneration energy to heal his face. The boy shook his head, "I don't know. I haven't seen her since last night. We were all telling stories in the fort in my bedroom before bedtime. I wanted to tell some scary stories that my friends told me. Auntie Kos said that we could but that it was too scary for Daryn and Rilni so she went to put them to bed and came back into my room with hot chocolate and we changed to scary stories. It was all fine until I told her one the bigger boys told me about student initiation at the Academy."

Theta drew in a deep breath as Cilinzia looked cautiously over her shoulder at him. "What happened in this story that the bigger boys told you?" Theta pressed urgently, already knowing the answer. Rumours about first year students being forced to stare into the Untempered Schism had been used to terrify children for centuries. Children would be much more scared if they knew the rumours were founded in truth. "I told you it was my fault. My story was too scary, I scared auntie Kos" Unza cried turning into his mum's shoulder. "No, it's not your fault sweetheart. We just want to know what happened so we can find auntie Kos because she probably is a little bit scared and she'll be all on her own. It's not nice to be on your own when you're scared, is it? So if you finish telling Papa what happened last night, he can find her and make sure she's not scared anymore" Cilinzia told her son as she rubbed his back and mentally reached out to her husband. Check the tin where she keeps her pills. It's on the top of the cabinet. Unza continued telling his parents what had happened, "well it was the story about how professors make first year students look into the Untempered Schism. Sometimes, the students see something really awful and it can drive them insane. When I told auntie Kos that, she went really quiet and really pale. She started tapping her hand in this weird pattern. I asked her what was wrong and that was when she did this" Unza said quietly, pointing at his face. He felt guilty, like he was betraying his favourite auntie.

As Theta listened to his son's account, he crossed the kitchen and collected the tin, growing increasingly concerned when he found that the medication from this morning and the previous night was still there. "She kept shouting at me, saying I was one of them and that she'd figured out my plan. Then she just stopped, began crying and apologised saying that we all needed to stay away from her. She told me that I needed to be a big boy and look after my sisters and make sure that we all stay away from her so she couldn't hurt us. Then she went into the garden, down at the bottom near the stream. She likes gardens, remember Papa" Unza finished his story looking at his father for reassurance. "Right kids, Mama has missed you all so much and I would love to play some games with you upstairs. Shall we go and see what we can play while Papa looks for auntie Kos?" Cilinzia suggested lifting her son off of her lap and letting her daughters down from the table as the three of them chorused "yes." "Okay, then, Unza take your sisters upstairs and choose a game. I'll be up in five minutes.

Once the children had left the kitchen, Cilinzia turned to Theta who was shaking his head as he put the tin back on the counter. "She hasn't taken the medication since yesterday" he told his wife as she approached him. "Go and find her, make sure she's okay" Cilinzia told him, moving the tin back to the top of the cupboard so that it was out of reach of the children. She could see her husband was itching to get looking for his friend. "Okay, thank you. Make sure that Unza is okay, tell him I'm very proud of him for being such a big boy and looking after his sisters. Cilinzia, she never would have intentionally hurt-" Theta started, watching his wife raise her hand to stop him in his tracks. "I know that. She isn't well but I need to put the children's safety first. I can't have her in this house again, Theta. If anything happened to my children, I'd never forgive myself" Cilinzia broke off, breath hitching before she composed herself and continued. "No, you need to find her and take her to a hospital. I'm not going to stop you seeing her but she can't see the children again" Cilinzia finished watching her husband nod. "I'm not going to put her in a hospital, she's just been spooked. Once she gets back on the meds, she'll be fine. I'll take her home and can check on her each day" Theta responded almost pleadingly. "She's not well and you're not a doctor! All Unza did was mention the initiation and that was enough to trigger this...What will it be next time? She needs help for her own good as well as the safety of others. If you don't take her to a hospital, I will call the guards and tell them that she is breaking the conditions of her parole and that she attacked our son. It is the choice between hospital or prison. I know which one will be better for Koschei" Cilinzia replied, her tone firm leaving no room for Theta to argue further. "Fine. Fine" Theta surrendered, "but I'm going with her, stay until she gets settled. I'm not just going to abandon her there" he argued heading towards the back door. "No, I know and I don't expect you to. Of course you should stay with her and make sure she's okay, but we need to protect our children. They're my priority. I'm going up to settle them, I don't expect you to be back tonight but just let me know when you've found her. Take her straight to the hospital, please don't bring her back into the house" Cilinzia sighed watching her husband nod and head out the back door.

Theta and Cilinzia's garden was spacious with a vast red lawn leading down to a stream. The garden was beautiful and ideal for their three growing children who loved passing summer afternoons playing outside. Today, however, was midwinter and made the garden treacherous as dusk approached. As Theta marched down to the stream, the grass underfoot squelched with the remaining moisture from the day's rain. There had been a lot of rain that winter, more than usual. If Unza was correct about Koschei heading out into the garden last night, she would have been out in the cold rain all night. A clap of thunder reminded Theta that the rain wouldn't hold off long and he needed to find Koschei as soon as possible. In the distance, he could just make out her silhouette sat against the tree and gently tapping her thigh in a rhythm of four. As he got closer to his friend, he noticed the scattering of bloodied and broken birds' bodies. He'd have to get rid of them before the kids saw them. "Koschei" Theta said gently watching his friend jump up and back herself up against the tree. Her eyes were wide with mania and there was a smearing of animal blood across her cheek and dripping from her fingers. "It's me, Kos. We're back from the trip. I was really worried about you, it's far too cold to be out here" Theta continued, edging his way towards her stopping when she pushed her head against the tree and scrunched her eyes shut. "Theta. Theta" she murmured, turning back to him and opening her eyes. Drops of rain started to fall from the dark clouds and the wind howled. "Yes, that's right. Are you not feeling well sweetheart?" Theta continued, knowing the answer but wanting Koschei to feel in control. "I did something wrong. I...I can't remember" she continued growing more agitated, Theta hovered just to her side shaking his head. "You haven't done anything wrong, everything is fine. Can you come with me please sweetheart? It's going to be dark soon" he reassured stretching his hand out towards her. "No, I did something. Unza...I hurt him. I didn't mean to but...No! Wait, I remember now" Koschei shouted marching past Theta and heading back towards the house. "He's not Unza...he's one of them...Thete, they've...they've done something to him...they've possessed him. He knew about the initiation. How else would he know about that?" Koschei said erratically, storming towards the house. Theta ran after her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face him; he knew he couldn't let her get into the house. Placing his hands firmly on her shoulders, he held her in place ensuring she couldn't move. "Look at me Koschei" he coaxed watching her meet his eyes "Unza is fine, he's with his mum and sisters. There's nothing wrong with him. He heard the story about the initiation from some kids he plays with. It was just kids being kids, why would the High Council go after a six year old?" Theta continued trying to reason with his friend who he could see was relenting. Koschei opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. Instead, she let out a small whimper and knitted her brows together. Theta pressed his forehead to Koschei's trying to soothe her. "The drums are so loud tonight" Koschei muttered eventually feeling the adrenaline leaving her body as she crashed back to reality. "I know. They're hurting you aren't they?" Theta asked, feeling Koschei nod against him. "You haven't taken your medication since yesterday, love. You know that's not good" Theta said holding her close and walking them up to the house. "I forgot, I got distracted" she replied letting the drops of rain roll down her face. "Okay, there was a lot going on in your mind. Kos, we're going to go somewhere together where you can get better. They can make you better" Theta said, hoping she would accept what he was saying. "Will they make the drums go away?" Koschei asked quietly, gripping tightly to Theta. "Yes. They'll make the drums go away" he reassured, not sure if it was possible but just wanting to get Koschei to hospital as calmly as possible.

Theta managed to get Koschei into a small facility in a village not far from his house. She had arrived quite willingly but the first night she was anything but compliant. Eventually, the staff sedated her and strapped her to the bed reassuring Theta it was for the her own safety. While the nurses were settling her, Theta had informed his wife of the situation and she had told him it was fine to stay with Koschei as long as he was needed. And that was what he did, staying with Koschei for two weeks in total. The first five days, she was heavily sedated and spent most of the time sleeping.

When she did wake up, the pair would have repetitive conversations. "Where am I?" She would ask. "You're in hospital, Kos. They're going to make you better." He would reply. "I'm a bad person." She would say. "You've done bad things, that doesn't make you a bad person" He would reply. "Cilinzia hates me. I hurt Unza." She would say. "She doesn't hate you. He's fine." He would reply. "Can I see Rilni? I want a cuddle with Rilni." She would say. "No, not right now. Have a rest sweetheart." He would reply. "What about Daryn? She's not as little, can I have a cuddle with Daryn?" She would say. "The children can't come here, Kos. You can have a cuddle with me." He would reply.

Eventually, doctors decided to lower her sedation and the next two days were spent balancing out the medication. Theta sat with her as she went through the motions with the new medication- migraines, tremors, sickness and hallucinations to name a few. Then, during the final week he spent with her at the facility, he followed the staff's guidance to settle her into a new routine. At the end of that week, Theta returned to his family promising to visit Koschei weekly. And he did. Every week for a year, Theta would return to the facility. During these visits, they never spoke of Cilinzia and the children. In her lucid moments, Koschei knew she wouldn't be allowed to see the children again and Theta thought it was kinder not to bring them up. Some of the days he visited were good. Really good. The pair would laugh, play cards and walk around the grounds. Other days weren't so good. Theta would sit with her when she couldn't get out of bed, telling stories or sometimes just singing softly. Those days, Koschei rarely responded and the nurses told him she wasn't aware of his presence and he could probably leave.

Still, he stayed. On one of the particularly bad days, he was reassured that he had made the right decision in staying. He had been talking utter nonsense for three hours, prattling on about anything from the weather to the different planets he was reading about while skirting around the topics of his children and rising political tensions in the Capitol. Still, he received no acknowledgement from Koschei who had pulled her duvet up to her chin and stared straight ahead as she laid on her side. "Oh, I don't know Kos" he had sighed, reaching out to the Time Lady and pushing her hair back. "Days like this I wonder if they're right. Do you even know I'm here? Maybe, I'm being selfish and doing this to make myself feel better. Perhaps it'd do you more good if I didn't come" Theta said thoughtfully, surprised when Koschei's cold fingers coiled around his wrist. "Stay" she had croaked, "please just stay." They were the only four words that she said during that visit but they had been enough to convince Theta that he was doing the right thing.

Over time, the good days started to outnumber the bad days and Koschei slowly started to return to some kind of stability as she grew used to a settled, albeit isolated, life. Outside, however, life on Gallifrey was anything but settled. Political turmoil was at fever pitch and war looked inevitable. Theta did his best to shield Koschei from what was going on outside of the hospital, but as she started to get better, it became harder to hide things from her and pretend that all was well. Koschei had always been fiercely intelligent and could tell when something was amiss. It wasn't long before the instability started to impact on Koschei's life in the facility. As her third year in the hospital approached, the High Council took over the running of all psychiatric hospitals on Gallifrey, introducing changes immediately. First, they barred all visitors saying that it was best for the recovery of the patients. Then, they divided the patients into groups that could be used in the upcoming war and those that couldn't. Those that couldn't were killed. The hospital became less like a hospital and more like a training camp and it was during these years that Koschei's phobia of hospitals began.

Koschei spent thirty years there in total, only being released when the build up to war slowed and preparations were suspended. She spent the next five years refusing to see Theta, believing that he had chosen to abandon her. Theta still heard about what his friend was turning into, though. He heard about her role in weapon-making, the crimes she was committing and how power hungry she was becoming. It was Koschei's infamous reputation that led to Cilinzia forbidding her husband from seeing his old friend. That was why Theta had to keep his first visit to meet Koschei's daughter a secret from his wife. Theta knew that Koschei had been desperate for a child and he secretly hoped that the arrival of her daughter would have a positive influence and help her to return to the right path.

Reaching the front door, Theta tried to push memories of the last fifty years out of his mind. Today was a happy day, not a day to dwell on the bad memories. Pressing the doorbell, Theta felt guilty when he heard the cry of a newly loomed time tot. They required lots of sleep in the first few weeks and they were hard to settle. "Shh, shh little pea. Go back to sleep" he heard Koschei soothe as she made her way to the front door. Soon the front door was opened, revealing the Time Lady cradling the swaddled infant. "You came!" She exclaimed, breaking into a bigger smile as the baby's face contorted and she nuzzled against her mother's chest. "Of course I came, I had to see this little beauty" Theta replied, peering down at the bundle in his friend's arms. "Oh she's perfect, Kos" he praised. Koschei looked fit to burst with pride. "I know" she gushed, running her little finger along her daughter's soft skin. "Come inside, it's too cold for my little pea with the door open" she directed, not taking her eyes off of her daughter and heading back into the heated conservatory. Theta followed behind, enjoying seeing his friend look the most content he'd seen her in years. "Have you and Yimin named her yet? I take it little pea isn't official" Theta asked as he sat opposite the mother and child. Koschei drew her eyes away from the sleeping infant and smiled at him. "We named her Maisa. My perfect Maisa" Koschei said removing one of the blankets from Maisa as she began to acclimatise to the warm room. "That's lovely. Little Maisa with her whole future ahead of her" Theta cooed shrugging off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves. The conservatory was far too heated by the over-protective new mother. Theta smiled, remembering that both he and Cilinzia had been the same during Unza's first weeks. Koschei hummed in agreement at his comment, gently rocking Maisa from side to side. "How long's Yimin away at work for?" Theta asked after a few seconds. "Um, two nights. He couldn't get anymore time off work. You know what it's like there at the moment, they're busy busy busy" Koschei replied. "So tonight's your first night alone with her? Tiring work that is" Theta said, trying to keep a nonchalant tone as he fretted over his friend's wellbeing. "I know, dear, but it's worth it. You don't need to worry about me, I've never been this happy. I just want to stare at her forever" Koschei gushed and Theta couldn't deny how content she looked. "I can see why, you can lose hours staring at them when they're this age" he commented, deciding not to lower the mood by worrying when there was no need. "I bought you a present. Well, a present for you and a present for her actually" Theta said retrieving the gift box and handing it to Koschei who opened up the gift pulling out a small, musical snow globe and cameo brooch. "The brooch is for you" he said, taking the snow globe from her, "and this is for Maisa. It has a model of our galaxy in it and changes based on the seasons. If you wind it up and place it next to her cot, it'll project the stars and planets onto the ceiling and play old lullabies" he explained, demonstrating the toy to Koschei. "It's beautiful, Thete, thank you and for the brooch is too. You didn't need to do that" she replied watching the stars flicker around the room. "You're welcome, I'm glad you like them" he smiled , placing the snow globe on the table next to him. Suddenly, Koschei gasped looking at her friend. "I'm so sorry, I haven't offered you a drink. How rude of me. Would you like some tea?" She asked quickly, standing up and holding her daughter close to her chest. "Don't worry about that, you have a three day old baby. It's not surprising your mind is on other things" Theta laughed. "It's no excuse to be forgetful. You know, I've read about species that give birth to their young. Now if that was the case with Maisa, I might have a bit more of an excuse. Fortunately, I just have to deal with the crying and restlessness now she's here, not the actual childbirth. Oh now, here she is, my little pea is waking up. Look at your big brown eyes, my darling. Are you hungry? Mama will get you your bottle" Koschei smiled, fussing over Maisa and seemingly forgetting about Theta who couldn't help but smile at his friend. She really was a doting mother and he couldn't help but hope that motherhood was going to be the making of her. Maisa could be her saviour, putting the days of breakdowns and violence were behind her ."Here, will you take her for me while I get the tea? I need to get a bottle for her as well" Koschei said eventually, drawing Theta away from his train of thought. As the tiny bundle was passed to him carefully, Theta couldn't restrain his smile. He'd been dying to hold Maisa since he arrived but had been unsure whether or not Koschei would part with her newly-loomed daughter. She was so anxious and protective of the time tot. "Of course, I will" Theta said cradling Maisa as she began to squirm in his unfamiliar arms, searching instead for her mother's presence. "Hey now, little pea, Mama's here. This is your uncle Theta, you stay here while I go and get your bottle" Koschei reassured, stroking her daughter's wispy hair and hovering hesitantly by Theta's side. "Go and get the drinks. I'll be fine, I have done this three times" Theta said, catching sight of Koschei's lingering stare. "I know, I know. I'll be back in a minute" she said heading into the kitchen.

Within ten minutes, Koschei was back in the conservatory armed with tea and Maisa's feed. "Your Mama's back. I told you she wouldn't be long" Theta said to Maisa as he watched Koschei place the tea out on the small table."Would you like to give her her bottle?" She asked, picking up warm milk-filled bottle. "Do you mind?" Theta asked, eyes lighting up. "Be my guest, she likes you already uncle Thete" Koschei replied, handing him the bottle and watching keenly as he began to feed her little girl. Taking a seat and pouring herself a cup of tea, Koschei couldn't help but enjoy the scene. It was something she couldn't have imagined happening even five years previously. "I take it Cilinzia doesn't know you're here?" She asked eventually as Theta looked up shaking his head. "And the kids, they must be all grown up now. How are they?" She asked sadly. "They're fine, Kos, they're fine." Theta said quickly wanting to change the subject. Koschei sighed. "Cilinzia never did forgive me for that weekend, For what I did to Unza" she pressed, watching Maisa finish her bottle and Theta sit her up to wind her. "You don't remember anything about that weekend, Koschei, not really" he said sadly, remembering how ill she had really been. "Anyway, it wasn't that that made Cilinzia hate you. She was worried about you then, it's been your actions in the last twenty years that have caused her to hate you" Theta said, smiling triumphantly as he managed to get a small burp out of Maisa and then laid her back down. "I'll never forgive myself for hurting Unza" Koschei said seriously as she watched her baby return to a light slumber. "Let's not go over this now, love. It's a happy day, hmm?" Theta said, smiling at Koschei. "Yes, you're right, it is a happy day. Anyway, I'm going to change. I have something to focus on now and she's far too precious to do anything stupid" Koschei said. Soon, Maisa started to fuss in Theta's arms. "I think you want your Mama, don't you sweetie pie?" He said gently passing the infant over to Koschei and watching her quickly settle against the Time Lady. "There, there little pea. You are the most important thing in my life. Everything I do now is for you" Koschei said to the time tot as she cradled her and placed kisses to the crown of her head.

And Koschei did love Maisa. She loved her more than life itself. But love isn't enough to stop bad things happening. Love isn't enough to stop an inevitable and catastrophic war. Love isn't enough to stop a child dying. Or a husband. Or a wife. Or an entire population bar two. But that's another story for another day.

Earth, 2016

"What did you just say, Missy?" The Doctor asked, composing himself and sitting next to the Time Lady on the bed. "Hmm?" She responded, looking up at him and dropping her hand from her stomach. "You just said little pea, sweetheart. Who were you talking to?" He pressed, watching Missy's brow crease. "You haven't called anyone little pea since...since..." "Since Maisa" Missy finished for him, sniffing and wiping a tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise I said it out loud. The baby's been communicating again. All morning. I actually quite enjoyed it this time" Missy explained, watching the Doctor nod. "Don't apologise, love. That's a good thing, it's good that you're feeling comfortable with the baby" he smiled at Missy. "I didn't mean to remind you about your family, though. You were just thinking about them, weren't you?" Missy said, remembering the pained expression on the Doctor's face a few minutes previously. "No, no, it's good to think about them every now and then. Now come on, let's go outside."


	27. Chapter Twenty-seven

Gallifreyan summers were always unforgivingly hot. Of the many things that had changed over the centuries, the climate had not. The dry heat was no bother to Rassilon as he sat in his office in the heart of the Capital, refreshed by the cool air conditioning. It was, however, a bother to the villagers who were becoming increasingly angered by the unequal distribution of water and supplies and were quickly becoming disaffected with Rassilon's renewed attempts at winning the Time War and renewing an almighty Gallifreyan Empire. Rassilon tapped his finger against the cool surface of his desk, the slight tapping echoing around the room. It was now late morning and his most trusted aid, Alsaz, was several hours late for their meeting to discuss how their plan with Gallifrey's most wayward children was progressing. As the door swung open, Alsaz walked in with her red robes and blonde hair billowing behind her. "My Lord, please forgive my tardiness, unrest is growing in the villages. I had to meet with military leaders urgently to discuss ways to quash the beginnings of an uprising" she explained slightly breathily as she bowed her head. Rassilon nodded, listening to her explanation. "You're here now. Please, take a seat. Can I get you a drink? You must be parched being out there in this heat" he said, pushing a button that summoned the maid with a jug of ice cold water and smiling as Alsaz took a seat opposite him. "Thank you" Alsaz smiled, taking a sip from the glass, her lipstick leaving a smudge along the rim. "I trust you've dealt with the villagers and we'll now be able to address the more pressing issues?" Rassilon questioned, raising an eyebrow and pulling out the folders on the Mistress, the Doctor and the Unit faction and spreading them along the desk. "Well, yes and no. If we want to be victorious in the new Time War, my Lord, we need to have the villagers on side. They have the numbers to make up the foot soldiers we need. I propose we offer higher incentives to them, to ensure they are on side otherwise we risk losing them to the Doctor's anti-High Council stance." Alsaz proposed, watching Rassilon nod in agreement and wave a dismissive hand. "Yes, yes, I trust your instinct on this. But, now, I really want to discuss how things are going with the bigger plan" Rassilon said, determined not to be distracted from his overall aim. Alsaz nodded, taking the files and reading through them.

It took four hours to look through the files and watch recordings of the Doctor and the Mistress on earth. Eventually, Alsaz looked up to Rassilon with a smirk on her face. "It's all terribly domestic. This would be hell for the pair of them" she laughed and watched as Rassilon threw his head back, chuckling in agreement. "It is and as much as I'm enjoying tormenting them both, I've been wondering if there is a way to speed up this process. Get them back to Gallifrey as soon as possible and speed up the pregnancy. We're Time Lords, we shouldn't have to be slaves to linear timelines" Rassilon sighed, closing the files up. Alsaz shook her head, "no, my Lord, we've discussed this before. In order to make this pregnancy successful, the child will be half human and the Mistress will experience a human pregnancy to full term. A half human time tot is already a fragile thing, if we risk speeding up the process or interfering with the time line in anyway we could damage the fetus. You saw how many failed attempts it took even to get this far. I'm afraid, in this instance, we are slaves to linear time" Alsaz recited her response, she'd been over this with him many times. Rassilon let out a resigned sigh. "I know, okay, I guess we're playing the long game then. I'm just wary of giving either the Mistress or the Doctor too much time. We both know what they're capable of" he countered, watching Alsaz agree. "Yes, but you've seen the Mistress, she's almost as unstable as she was all those centuries ago. We have the tracking device and there are ways to manipulate her. We'll be able to get her back to Gallifrey in the weeks leading up to the birth. As for the Doctor, well when she's like this he'll never leave her side" She summarised watching Rassilon nod. "In the meantime" she continued, "we should work on ensuring we have the strongest army and best strategy. Things are starting to fall into place."

Me was sat at her desk flipping through an old diary and checking her phone periodically to see if the Doctor had tried to contact her. Each time she looked, she grew more frustrated from the lack of response. It was now three in the afternoon and she'd still heard nothing from him, she knew they needed to get settled at the house but she also needed to talk to him. In contrast, she'd been swamped by psychic letters from Gallifrey as Alsaz, who believing Me to be still working for the Time Lords, updated her on events and plans. In a way, Me felt bad deceiving Alsaz. She quite liked the Time Lady and knew that she was only working on the project to get revenge on the Mistress for murdering her family. Even so, the information she was receiving was useful and might help persuade the Doctor to agree to her suggestion regarding Missy's child.

Henry was stood in the doorway of the study, silently watching his wife. Dark hair was piled messily on top of her head and the tense rise and fall of her shoulders indicated that she was reading about her old lives. In their early years together, when Me had first shown Henry her collection of life stories, she had described them as her temporal portals; she had no access to a Tardis like the Doctor or a vortex manipulator like the Master, but she did have her biographic treasures. As the months turned into years, the years into decades and the decades into centuries, Me's memories became less her own and more a familiar recollection. She remembered events from her life the way most remembered bedtime stories they'd been told as children. The immortal viking, when feeling nostalgic, delved into the time-worn pages and re-read tales of a warrior girl in a viking village, a woman nursing small pox victims, the same heroine went on to be accused of witchcraft. The stories went on. They always followed the same protagonist, a young girl of tiny stature and unbelievable depths. The epitome of something that was bigger on the inside. Sometimes, the protagonist was the hero. Other times, they were the villain. The rest of the time, she was every shade between good and evil. The beautiful thing about living a longer than average human existence was that Me had the time to become a whole spectrum of things. Most humans manage to become a whole range of people in their limited years. Imagine, then, the array of lives an immortal could live. In comparison to Me, Henry was a baby. He'd only been alive a century or so and still had most of his memories. Me had told him that one day he would start to forget like her but, at least this time they had each other.

Glancing to the leather-bound pile of notebooks to Me's left, Henry's suspicions were confirmed. To the woman's right, a new notebook was open with today's date scrawled across the top and underlined. The summer sun was streaming in through the window, casting shadows across the wooden flooring. The two of them should go out. All they'd been able to do for the last few months was work with the Time Lords, find the Doctor and the Master and try to dismantle the UNIT faction. Even immortal marriages needed work. "You know" Henry said, creeping up behind his wife and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, "we used to have a life before all of this. A life of our own, before it all became about Time Lords and wars being fought on a different planet" he said, spinning Me's chair around to face him and placing a kiss on her cheek. "We still have a life, we just also have hobbies. We've never wanted to be a couple that had nothing outside of one another." Me replied pulling a face and flicking Henry's nose. "Reading is a hobby. Sailing is a hobby. Stamp collecting is a hobby." Henry replied, looking at his wife pointedly, "working as a double agent for the Time Lords is not a hobby." Me stood up rolling her eyes "It is more fun, though. Anyway, I owe both of them. They've both helped me in different ways and-" "and you want to adopt the Mistress' baby" Henry finished, knowing that had been his wife's plan all along. "It'll be best for everyone, you must see that. I just need to get the chance to speak to the Doctor about it" Me said, reaching for her phone. "One text and then you'll leave them in peace. Didn't Kate tell you Missy had had a tough night? You saw what she was like yesterday, give them some time to settle in. Anyway, Kate's visiting tomorrow, why don't you see if you can head over with her?" Henry reasoned watching his wife nod. "Fine, I'll call Kate" Me said, realising that what Henry was saying made sense. "And then, we will do something. Me and you, no Time Lords or war or UNIT" Henry said, smiling when Me agreed.

Kate let out a deep sigh as she entered her hallway, nearly tripping over her son's size twelve trainers. "Gordon!" She shouted up the stairs, despite knowing he wouldn't be able to hear her over his blaring music. Why did the bloody faction leader have to share the same name as her firstborn? She was sick to death of his name after a series of unsuccessful interviews with him during the workday. "I've told you a million and one times, don't leave your things lying around" she sighed, picking up her son's trainers and placing them on the shoe rack. It had been a long day, as well as dealing with the ongoing crisis with the faction and its obnoxious leader, kate had still had to deal with Unit's day to day business. An early morning call with the Hong Kong division had ended badly and the day had just gone downhill from there. Kate now wanted nothing more than slip out of her heels and relax for the weekend. With Daisy due to spend the weekend with her dad and Gordon unlikely to venture out of his room for anything other than food, she'd be able to relax. Other than heading over to check on the Doctor and Missy, she had very little planned for the weekend and after the past week that was exactly how she wanted it.

Entering the kitchen and flicking the kettle on, Kate retrieved her phone from her bag with a sigh. There were three new texts as well as several missed calls. The first text was from Clara and it read Hi Kate, just to say thanks for the food you had stocked up for us. Would you be able to pick up some more of the sour cream dip? It's gone down well with Missy, she's been eating it straight from the tub. Cravings I guess. Also, would you be able to bring over some books. The Doctor only managed to get a few off the Tardis and Missy's finished them all this afternoon. Apparently reading is a useful distraction. The afternoon definitely turned out better than the morning, things are getting a bit more settled. Hopefully will be the case when you come around tomorrow. Thanks for everything, C x.

Kate skimmed over the text, making a mental note of the things she'd need to pick up and opened her next text, sighing as she saw it was from Daisy's dad. Kate, something has come up and I won't be able to have Daisy this weekend. Will make it up to her soon. Sam. Well, that was typical of her ex-husband, letting down his daughter at the last minute. Scanning over the final message from Me, asking her to call her as soon as she could to arrange visiting the Doctor over the weekend, Kate resolved to call Me on the way to Waterstones and Sainsburys. Looking out to the back garden, Kate smiled and waved at Daisy as the young girl bounded up to greet her mother. At least she'd recovered from her bug, she still looked a bit pale but she always had been a pasty child. "Hi mummy, I packed my bag like you asked. What time is daddy picking me up? I can't wait to show him the certificate I got in assembly the other day" Daisy gushed, her cheeks flushed pink, a stark contrast to her usual ivory shade. "Hi darling" Kate smiled, thinking of a way to break the news gently to her daughter. The eight year old was used to her father cancelling at the last minute by now, but that doesn't mean she could hide her disappointment from her mother. "I'm sure daddy would love to see your certificate, he'll be just as proud as I was of you. I'm afraid something's come up though and you won't be able to stay with him this weekend" she said, watching her daughter's brow crease as she played with the hem of her top. "Oh, I guess he's busy with work again" Daisy said, trying to hide her disappointment. "Yes, that'll be it. You know your daddy is always busy with work" Kate said through gritted teeth, it certainly won't be anything to do with his new girlfriend she thought to herself. "Anyway, I have to go and pick up a few things for some friends I'm seeing tomorrow, why don't you come with me and then we can go and get a pizza?" Kate said, trying to make it up to the little girl. "Okay. Am I allowed a fizzy drink? It is a Friday" Daisy negotiated, running to get her denim jacket.

Eventually, Kate and Daisy sat in Pizza Hut armed with an array of shopping bags. Daisy had managed to persuade Kate to buy her a new craft set as well as some new clothes. It didn't seem fair that Sam's failure to see his daughter led to Kate spending more money. "Who are the friends that you have to see tomorrow?" Daisy said, blowing bubbles through the straw into her fanta. Kate looked over at her daughter, "don't do that, or you won't be allowed it again. My friends, oh well do you remember grandpa's old friend from G-" Kate stopped herself, remembering that while her eldest knew about aliens and Gallifrey and what she really did at work, Daisy didn't yet know. Only recently, Kate had let her daughter watch Men in Black and it had given her nightmares for week. She'd be waiting a while before telling her that aliens really did exist and some were good and some were bad and most where a bit of both. "No, silly me, you're too young to remember. Well grandpa had a friend that he used to work with and that friend's son has moved down to London from Glasgow with his wife and his niece" Kate said, making a mental note to tell the Doctor that she had fabricated a happy family. At the back of her mind, she briefly contemplated that it would have been easier to tell her the truth. "Oh, why have they moved here? I like Glasgow and it's cheaper than London" Daisy said, chewing on the crust of her pizza and crinkling her nose as her front tooth wobbled. Kate watched with a sigh. It would be typical for the girl to lose her tooth this weekend, costing her another £2 that should have been coming from Sam's pocket. Kate laughed at her daughter as she realised what she had said, "you've never been to Glasgow, darling. Have you been watching the news again? You know, not everything Nicola Sturgeon says is gospel" she said, remembering how Gordon had sat Daisy in front of the EU referendum coverage while he was supposed to be looking after her but opted to text his girlfriend instead. "Anyway, my friend was offered a job down here and his wife is expecting a baby so they thought it would be a good time to settle somewhere. They usually do quite a bit of travelling for work so this is the first time they've both stayed in one place for a very long time" she said, realising that it wasn't far from the truth as she tried to find a way of explaining it to her daughter. "A baby! We should buy them a present, like one of those cute baby grows we got for cousin Louis" Daisy said excitedly, ever since her baby cousin had been born last year, she had been obsessed with babies. It was nice for her not to be the baby of the family anymore and she adored being the big cousin. "Maybe, love. The thing is, my friend's wife is a bit nervous about having the baby at the moment because it was a bit of a surprise. So, for now, we'll just give them the books we bought" Kate said, trying to divert Daisy. "Okay, I'll get to meet your friends anyway tomorrow" Daisy smiled, as Kate shook her head. There was no way she'd trust Missy around her daughter in any circumstances. "No, no, it'll only be grown ups there and you'll be really bored. You stay with your brother" Kate said watching her daughter shake her head, "but Gordon's at work tomorrow. It's Saturday, remember?" Daisy said, reminding her mother that Gordon had finally found himself a weekend job, and Kate found herself cursing her ex-husband for the fiftieth time that evening.

Clara's phone beeped stirring the woman from her nap. Unlocking her phone, she read over the text and blinked a few times as she tried to take it in while she was still asleep. Me wants to know if she can come around tomorrow as well. Wants to talk to D about M and the T.L. Will this be okay or not? Hope your afternoon has been more settled than the morning. Also, do you need me to bring anything over? K. Glancing over at the two Time Lords, Clara rolled her eyes as the Doctor smirked at her "hello sleepy head" he said jokingly. Missy was nearly at the end of War and Peace and had a pile of completed books including The Secret Garden and To Kill a Mocking Bird on the grass next to her. Clara wondered how long she'd been asleep, though consoled herself with knowing that Time Lords tend to read faster.

The afternoon had been warmer than most summer days in Britain and Clara had found herself slipping into a nap following a large al fresco lunch. The Doctor had been keen to get Missy to eat something and by early afternoon, when most of the nausea had passed, the Time Lady had been happy to oblige. Subsequently, all three of them tucked into an assortment of picnic food ranging from cocktail sausages to pork pies and vegetable sticks. "I'll have to remember to thank Kate for stocking the fridge" the Doctor had commented between bites of a humus-covered carrot stick. "Mhmm it was good stuff too" Clara praised, "mind you, I guess there aren't many Lidls in Richmond" she laughed, noting the incomprehension on both the Doctor and Missy's faces. "Human reference" Clara dismissed, waving her hand. "How was your food?" The Doctor asked, turning to Missy who was currently finishing off the sour cream and chive dip straight from the container with a spoon. He was pleased to see that she'd finished her plate without needing any encouragement but chose not to comment on her strange choice of food. Clara had already kicked him under the table once, mouthing "cravings" at him when he'd looked confusedly at the Time Lady. "It was good" Missy replied, placing the empty container back on the table. "I really liked that dip" she said, licking her lips "sorry I finished it off" she added guiltily. Both Clara and the Doctor laughed. "That's okay. We'll make sure we get some more of that for you" he smiled. After lunch, Clara had found herself struggling to keep her eyes open and had eventually dozed off. "Nothing wrong with a siesta on a summer afternoon" Clara smiled back at the Doctor. "If you say so" he replied, looking back at Missy who remained immersed in her book. She'd been really settled outside, to the Doctor's surprise, only becoming jittery when there were a few sudden noises like the kids down the road shouting or a dog barking. "I've had a text from Kate" Clara said to the Doctor watching him turn to look at her, slightly concerned. "It's nothing serious, don't worry. Just about organising tomorrow" she reassured watching him nod. "What's happening tomorrow?" Missy said suddenly alert, looking up from her book and over to the Doctor worry etched across her features. "Not more hospitals?" She pressed. "No, no hospitals tomorrow Missy. When you have more check ups, I'll tell you. Kate's coming around tomorrow, she has the day off and wants to see how things are going here" the Doctor explained, watching Missy nod reluctantly and return to her book. "I'm going to start taking these plates into the kitchen, would you be able to give me a hand Clara?" He said retrieving the pile of plates from the table, hoping that she would realise they would talk about Kate's message out of Missy's earshot. Clara nodded, collecting up their empty glasses. "We'll be back in a minute Missy. Are you okay out here?" The Doctor asked looking over to the Time Lady. "Do you need my help?" She asked, looking up from her book and watching the Doctor shake his head. "You finish reading, enjoy the last of the sun before it gets too cold out" he smiled, watching Missy's brow crease. "I've nearly finished. When I've finished, can I go to bed? I've stayed up like you wanted me to" the Time Lady said hopefully. The Doctor sighed, she'd asked if she could go back to bed a few times, but she'd been making really good progress that afternoon and he didn't want to ruin everything. Besides, it was still too early to go to bed. "It's not even five yet, love, still a little early for bed. We were going to talk about the baby, today, remember? When you've finished your book, we can go inside and go over some things" the Doctor suggested, remembering that they still hadn't gone over things from yesterday. Missy nodded, "okay and then can I go to bed?" She tried again, frowning when she felt the baby move and cause discomfort to her back. "We'll see, sweetheart. I'll be back in a minute" the Doctor said, heading into the kitchen.

Clara had loaded the glasses into the dishwasher when the Doctor walked in, passing her the plates. "She was doing really well, but I didn't want to risk talking about too much in front of her" he explained, watching Clara nod. "I guessed as much. It's nothing to worry about, Kate just wanted to know if Me can come around tomorrow as well or if it will be too much. Also, she wanted to know if there was anything that we wanted her to pick up for us" she explained, shutting the dishwasher and turning it on. "I do need to talk to Me, she'll know things about the Time Lords' plan. It'll be good for Missy to be around people as well, I don't want her getting too used to the isolation. It's okay when it's just me and her but she'll need to get used to being around people over the next few months" the Doctor said, watching Clara start to type out her text. "I was planning a routine for her while you were asleep. I think tomorrow we'll focus on her being around other people and then maybe try and get her out of the house the day after. It all depends on how she is on the day, of course" he sighed and Clara realised he was probably thinking out loud. "Sounds like a plan" she encouraged, "I'll ask Kate to pick up some of that dip Missy liked and maybe some books? Looks like she's nearly finished all of the others today" Clara suggested, the Doctor nodding. "That's a good idea. When she was first sectioned, back on Gallifrey, she got through hundreds of books in the first few weeks that she was able to concentrate on anything long enough. It distracted her from everything that was going on. I'd like to try and get her to do something as well. Some activities or something, that's helped in the past as well. I really want to avoid her spiralling into a low mood like she usually does, it won't be any good for the baby or her." The Doctor said, watching Clara send off the text and look back up at him. "I had no idea she'd been sectioned. I mean when I first met her I thought she needed her head testing but I thought that about you too. Being sectioned, though, that must have been awful" Clara said, noticing the Time Lady start moving around outside from the corner of her eye. "It was. I'm sorry, I thought you'd realised she'd been sectioned. I was thinking about it earlier, when I took her to the facility in a village on Gallifrey, it was the first time I'd thought about it in years. I'm not sure she remembers much about it, well I know she doesn't remember the first few weeks anyway. It's ancient history now, though, all I can do is try and use the techniques that helped last time. I don't want to medicate her unless I have to" the Doctor said, realising that he was just vocalising the concerns that had been going around his mind all afternoon while he'd been planning a routine. "That's what we'll do then. You've been here before, you know what she'll need. We should probably go out there, though, looks like Missy's finished her book and is getting restless" Clara said, watching the Time Lady walking laps of the garden while resting one hand on her lower back and rubbing circles over her bump. "She seems to be a bit more comfortable with the pregnancy" she commented, remembering how reluctant she had been to even acknowledge the baby yesterday. "Mm, she said the baby was communicating with her this morning and she actually enjoyed it. I think the tiredness yesterday wasn't helping with that. It was too much to take on for her" the Doctor said, heading outside and watching Missy turn to face him. "Sorry, sorry. My back was hurting sitting down, the baby started moving again. It was more comfortable to walk around" Missy explained, eyes widening as though she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't. The Doctor and Clara both exchanged glances having earlier discussed Missy's habit of apologising and feeling like she had done something wrong being a result of her time in the faction. "You don't need to apologise, Missy and you're allowed to walk around. Did you finish the book?" He asked, watching Missy shuffle on her feet, run a palm over her stomach and let out a breath as she started walking again. "I did, fifth time I've read it but still, passes the hours" she smiled proudly, walking back to the patio where the Doctor and Clara were standing. "The baby's being really active at the moment. Little bugger just won't stop moving around" she breathed out, clearly in discomfort. "Would you like to go inside? See if you can get a bit more comfortable in the lounge and then we can have that wee chat we were going to have" the Doctor suggested carefully, hoping not to overwhelm her. "Yes, okay" Missy agreed, wincing at the ache and following the Doctor and Clara into the house.

Over the next half an hour, the Doctor spoke to Missy about the baby; showing her the scan photo and explaining some of the things Dr Chang had said at her check up. Clara had decided to give the two of them privacy for that discussion, taking a walk and calling her gran instead. When she returned, she caught the end of the conversation. "You can keep that picture if you'd like" she heard the Doctor say as Missy passed him back the print out of the scan. "No, I don't want to, you keep hold of it" Missy replied, eyes lingering slightly on the outline of the baby. It was a strange concept to get her head around. That child in the picture was the same being that was reaching out to her and imprinting on her psyche. When she'd loomed her daughter, all those years ago on Gallifrey, she'd been able to watch the infant's development and form a psychic link at the same time. Here, though, something was different. She couldn't watch the child's development but she could feel it and while she was starting to bond with them, something was strange. Something about this baby was alien. Missy knew that it was unlikely that the child was fully Gallifreyan, her body wouldn't have handled carrying a Gallifreyan child full term through a human pregnancy; there was a reason that their people used looms. No, the child had to be a mix of species and Missy had a very strong sense of what that mix was. Still, she wasn't quite ready to accept that she was carrying a child that was half human. She resented Earthlings and knew that, if the child was half human, they would have been fathered by that faction leader or one of the guards during her time there when they had...As if on cue, the child shifted sending a flurry of activity through her abdomen. It was the perfect distraction and pulled Missy from her thoughts. "No, definitely you look after it. I don't want it right now" she had reiterated looking back over at the Doctor and running her thumb across her stomach feeling the infant settle again.

The Doctor had watched his friend retreat into a world of her own following their conversation; she looked confused and divided. He suspected that she knew that the child was half human but wasn't ready to accept it herself. Missy was anything but stupid and she was the one carrying the infant, she would be the one that knew them best. Even so, if she wasn't ready to accept the baby's parentage then the Doctor wasn't going push her into accepting it. They had time to take things slowly. Placing the picture back in his pocket, he addressed his friend gently drawing her from her thoughts. "Okay, but you tell me if you want it or just want to have another look anytime" he had said smiling, watching Missy nod and continue resting her hand on the curve of her middle. The time lady followed his eyes down to her stomach and quickly removed her hand. The Doctor sighed. "It's okay to love the baby, Missy. They're your child" he said, unsure that she realised it was natural for her to care for the child. "Is it?" Missy had croaked suddenly, genuinely relieved at the reassurance for a split second before she laughed at herself and shook her head. How could it be okay to love this baby? It was conceived through hate with a desire to create a weapon. This wasn't like Maisa, it wasn't her child. She was merely the carrier of a weapon until it was fully formed and ready to fight the Time War.

The Doctor had opened his mouth, lips forming an "o" as he intended to continue his reassurances only to be cut off by the time lady interrupting him. When she began to speak, the Doctor realised that it wasn't Koschei speaking, it wasn't even Missy. The icy voice had none of the ancient familiarity of his oldest friend. It had none of Missy's mischief or madness. Devoid of familiarity, mischief or madness, all that was left in the voice was a chill that always followed the Mistress' plots, murders and chaos. For the first time since she had arrived at his Tardis door all those nights ago, the Doctor was reminded that this was the Master. "Are you forgetting, dear? I don't do love. I only love one thing. Myself. Even then, most of the time it's just tolerance. A co-existence of sorts" she spat, forcing her unblinking eyes to stare him down. She knew what she was saying was lies, he knew what she was saying was lies. What she didn't know was whether he'd have the guts to challenge her. Missy wanted him to, she wanted a fight. This was the most in control she'd felt in days and she could feel the adrenaline building at the prospect of a conflict. "That's not true" the Doctor started and Missy's lips curved into a smirk. She licked her lips as though sharpening a dagger, ready to attack and cut through the Doctor's flimsy facade. He was going to challenge her, this was starting just the way she wanted. The time lord edged closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and causing her to involuntarily jump. "You love me. You loved Unza, Daryn and Rilni. I think you even loved Cilinzia" he said softly, the names of his children and wife feeling painful as they left his mouth. It was one thing thinking about them. It was a completely different thing to talk about them. Saying their names out loud tore them from the safety of his memories where they were abstract concepts and plunged them into the harsh reality of the universe where the full weight of what had happened to them and their permanent absence still jarred him. The Doctor paused, watching Missy's reaction and trying to gauge whether he should mention Maisa. That treasured time tot could elicit any number of reactions from Missy depending on her mood. Clara watched the interaction from the side lines, her presence remaining unnoticed by the pair. Raising a hand to her mouth, she swallowed back tears as she heard the Doctor list names that she assumed were his family. She knew he had had a family on Gallifrey but had never heard him mention their names. Eyes wandering over to Missy, she watched as the time lady shook her head, pulling away from the Doctor with an icy glare remaining on him and fixing him in place. No, Missy thought to herself as she tried to remain in control. This wasn't going the way she had planned. He didn't get to mention those names, there was only ever one name that followed that list and that was definitely not a name he was allowed to say aloud. If he wanted to be a careless fool and drag up his past, so be it. She wouldn't let him drag up hers. Clara watched on inquisitively as a silence engulfed the room, a silence that was soon broken by the Doctor's quick whisper. "And you loved her. You loved Maisa more than anything, Kos" he said, eyes softening as he regarded Missy.

"Don't you dare. You don't get to say her name" Missy hissed, each word filled with venom as her nostrils flared. Still, the Doctor continued, he knew it was like holding red cloth to a bull but he needed her to see, needed her to understand. She was capable of love, it was okay to remember Maisa and it was okay to love this unborn baby. "I loved her too, Kos. Saying her name, it doesn't make her any less real. It took me a long time to realise that. All of them are real and what happened, happened whether we talk about them or not. I know you loved my children and you definitely loved your daughter. I remember the first day I met her and I'd never seen you look so happy. It was the first time that I'd ever seen you look calm and content as an adult. There was no drums, no erratic moods, no violence" the Doctor paused for breath, he knew he was pushing it now as Missy looked over at him, mouth slightly open. Still, he continued. "There was only love. You were bursting with love for that little girl so don't you try and tell me that you don't love anyone. It doesn't wash with me. You loved Maisa and you're allowed to love this baby. Don't torture yourself, Missy."

Clara couldn't recall the order of everything that happened next. All she knew was in the space of three seconds the Doctor was pinned to the sofa, Missy's hand around his throat. There was a bruise in the shape of the TV controller forming on Clara's cheek, the offending controller laying by her feet with the back open and batteries scattered not far away. Missy, straddling the Doctor, was rambling away erratically in what Clara now recognised as Gallifreyan. The Doctor remained smiling, barely struggling under Missy's grip. This was what he had wanted: A reaction. She had been shutting down on him, when she'd spoken to him in that voice devoid of emotion, he knew he needed to get her back. She was hurting and needed to let out some of her frustration. What better way was there than letting her take it out on the only other being that shared her strength? She could let out her frustration without hurting anyone. Clara was frozen in place, at a complete loss of how to respond.

Suddenly, the Doctor felt the tears drip onto his cheeks. They weren't his own and he raised his eyes to the woman staring down at him. Missy's grip loosened for a millisecond. The time lady let out a strangled sob and her shoulders slumped. He'd gone too far. What had he been thinking? Eyes roamed down to Missy's middle, falling on the tightened fabric at her centre. This wasn't fair on her. She'd been shutting down because she was scared and confused. What had he done? Pushed her to acknowledge her feelings and all for his own selfish reasons. He'd only just found her again. He didn't want to lose her, to watch he shut down and drown in her own thoughts the way she had done all those centuries ago. This wasn't fair, this wasn't what she needed. This wasn't what he had promised her. "Why are you smiling, Thete?" Missy sobbed, tightening her grip once more and distracting the Doctor from his train of thought. He attempted an apology, stuttering and falling over his words. "I'm...sorry. I'm sorry. I just wanted you back. I was losing you again, You had that look in your eyes, that same sound in your voice. I can't lose you, Kos... I nee-" he was cut off as Missy applied added pressure with her thumb and index finger, strumming a pattern of four to match his pulse. The Doctor scrunched his eyes shut, realising what he'd done. He'd mentioned the drums. He'd mentioned the violence. "I can't lose you, Kos" Missy mimicked, leaning in close and whispering in his ear. "I need you. Me, me, me, me, me" she hissed, "some things never change." Twisting her head to survey the Doctor, Missy smiled with satisfaction as she observed an angry vein beating in the side of his head. One. Two. Three. Four. Licking her lips in ecstasy, Missy's eyes slipped shut as she relaxed into the comfort of the drums that were engulfing her; echoing off of every dark corner of her mind. One. Two. Three. Four. The Doctor struggled to cough.

Clara glanced from one time lord to the next finally regaining her ability to speak. "Stop this! Both of you, enough's enough" the young human exclaimed, watching as Missy's eyes snapped open and she regarded Clara as no more than a ghost. Humans, Missy thought to herself, interfering humans. Turning her attention back to the Doctor, she tilted her head to the side smiling a smile that soon turned into a maniacal laugh. "Guess what, Thete?" She laughed breathily. The laugh could have been mistaken for genuine if it wasn't for the tears brimming in her eyes. The Doctor attempted to swallow but was restricted by her bony hand. He couldn't face looking in her eyes and instead focused on the blue trails of her veins that ran under pale skin. Her throttle was starting to have an impact on his breathing now. It was starting to hurt. He looked up guiltily at Missy. He'd done this to her, she'd been starting to settle, starting to stabilise but he'd had to push for more. It was selfish and it did her no good. "I can't do this. I don't want this baby" she said removing her hand from his neck and beginning to claw at her stomach. Her thoughts were running too fast, all of it too fast. As soon as she caught hold of one thought, another five bombarded her. Continuing clawing at her stomach, the action quickly went from gentle to rough in a matter of seconds. The Doctor watched, catching his breath as concern pooled in his stomach. Clara stayed glued to the spot, knowing that neither time lord was really aware of her presence. Even if they were aware of her, there was nothing she could do. "I want it out of me. Don't tell me it's okay to love it. It's a weapon. It's my punishment" Missy said eventually voice shaking as she looked back down at him. Returning from his stupor, the Doctor quickly flipped the pair of them so that he was straddling her one hand holding her wrists while the other reached down stroking her cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry" he said steadily, watching her eyes, still alight with mania, scan his face. "Get off of me" Missy seethed, writhing underneath him not wanting to look at the pity in his eyes. The familiar comfort that the drums had provided was turning to torment. The adrenaline that had been coursing through her was starting to escape. .No. It couldn't leave, not now. That adrenaline was giving her control, giving her power. "You need to calm down. This is my fault and I'm sorry. I won't get off you until you calm down though" the Doctor said, aware that it was no longer just him in the room. If Missy were to lash out, Clara or the baby could get hurt. Something wet hit the Doctor's forehead and slid down his face, throwing him off balance for a minute before he realised that Missy had spat at him. Looking down, he saw Missy baring her teeth ready for her next attack. "I said, get off of me" she repeated, pulling against his grip. "And I said you need to calm down" the Doctor said, tightening his grip against her pull. The room was silent, neither Missy, the Doctor or Clara daring to make the first move.

The fragile peace was over all too quickly and the Doctor found himself on the floor with a banging headache. Tentatively, he ran his fingers across his forehead wincing as he felt fresh blood. Ouch. That was going to bruise. Glancing back to the sofa, he caught a glimpse of a matching bruise forming on Missy's forehead before the time lady turned away from him. "I told you to get off of me" he heard her mumble with her back to him. "Doctor" Clara gasped, lunging forward to help him to his feet. The time lord batted her away, "I'm fine, I'm fine" he breathed, "just go to the kitchen Clara. I'll join you in a minute." Missy looked like she'd calmed down but he still wasn't going to take any chances. Clara knew not to argue. She'd seen the force that Missy had used against the Doctor; she wasn't naive enough to think she wouldn't turn on her. Walking over to the arm of the sofa where Missy was resting her head, the Doctor crouched down with creaking joints. This body was the oldest he'd had in a long time. "Missy?" He questioned warily watching the time lady scrunch up smaller, her face remained hidden away under a pile of dark curls. The Doctor didn't know what to say. He wanted to apologise again, to tell her everything was going to be okay but he didn't know how she would react. "Missy, can you talk to me?" He tried again watching her shoulders shudder and she shook her head. She wanted to say something but the words wouldn't form. There was nothing, just emptiness. So much emptiness. "Okay. Okay. I'm going to get a drink and give you some time to cool down" he said, reaching out to touch her but thinking better of it at the last minute. His hand was left hovering awkwardly midair before he ran it through his hair and strode towards the door. The Doctor made it to the door when he heard her speak, unable to make out what she had actually said. It was no more than a whisper and he nearly missed it altogether. Returning to Missy's side, he crouched down again. "What was that?" He said softly, straining his ears to listen to her response. "Maisa. Your children. Your wife. The drums. Why?" She repeated, stuttering on the words and unable to form a full sentence. All she wanted to know was why he had brought it all up. All those things she usually kept buried. The things he usually kept buried. The Doctor sighed, realising the gravity of his mistake. She needed him calm; not like this. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought any of that up. You were shutting down on me and I just didn't want that to happen" he said to the back of Missy's head watching the her tuck her head down further and curl up smaller. "I hurt you. I didn't, I didn't mean it. Didn't mean it" she rambled, feeling completely hollow as all the adrenaline left her. She felt like a deflated balloon. Inhaling deeply, the Doctor ran a hand over his face. "I know," reaching into the his pocket he fiddled with the sedatives Dr Chang had given him the day before. He'd hoped not to have to use them so soon but there seemed to be no alternative. The Doctor could cope with Missy's violence. If she hurt him, it was no big deal and any injuries would heal fast. If she hurt Clara, though, or any other humans for that matter, it could be fatal. They were on Earth, not the Tardis, he couldn't put the population he claimed to be the protector of at risk. "I'm going to get some drinks and give you a little bit of space. Okay?" He asked, watching Missy nod in assent before heading out of the lounge and clicking the door shut. The Doctor wasn't surprised when he heard a scream, then a smash followed by silence.

The kitchen looked less like a a suburban kitchen and more like a make-shift medical triage. Clara had a pack of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel resting on her cheek. It was soothing, numbing the painful thrumming. On the table, a clear bowl of warm water was laid out next to some cotton wool awaiting to tend to the Doctor's battle wounds. Taking two long steps, the Doctor reached the table pulling out a chair. Wooden legs dragged along a wooden floor, echoing loudly in the heavy silence. Clara placed her supplementary ice pack on the table and picked up a damp cotton wool bud. Silently, she started dabbing at the gash on the Doctor's forehead. The warm liquid softened the drying blood, causing it to crack and leave a scattering of red dots against the white fluff. Hissing at the unexpected sensation, the Doctor looked up at Clara his eyes falling on the purple mark. Gulping, he mentally added the bruise to the pile of guilt that was building. Where Missy left a trail of destruction, he left a trail of guilt. A dysfunctional Yin and Yang. "Don't say it" Clara said firmly, finishing clearing the blood and noting with relief that the cut was nothing more than a superficial wound. "I haven't said a thing" he replied, voice heavy in defeat matching his stormy expression. "Not yet, but you were going to apologise. You were going to blame yourself and this wasn't your fault. It wasn't her fault either" Clara countered, throwing the bloodied cotton wool bud away and pouring the used water into the sink. The Doctor looked up at her, listening to her calm voice. He wondered if this was how she spoke to her pupils. "Your cheek. Does it hurt? It looks sore" he commented meeting her eyes for the first time and watching her shake her head. "It looks worse than it is." "I'm sor-", he started, cut off by a clipped voice "don't say it." The Doctor bowed his head. "It's my fault" he started, watching Clara raise her eyebrows as he shook his head and corrected himself. "All I mean is I shouldn't have pushed her. She was doing so well today and I got greedy. I've been the only one for so long, Clara, I don't want to lose her again" he confessed, studying his calloused fingers. "You want your friend back" the young woman responded, unintentionally echoing Missy's words from the graveyard. "So, yes, maybe you did push too hard. But that is not your fault, it's understandable that you would do anything to stop her getting worse. She did really well today, Doctor, and that hasn't changed. Nothing can take that away from Missy and nothing can take that away from you" Clara said, watching the Doctor laugh cynically. "I'm serious" she protested "remember earlier? We all sat out there and we were talking and laughing. She ate and wasn't nearly as jumpy as she had been. This is a setback. So be it. Set backs happen and frankly after everything that's happened to her I think she's allowed a few. But, these setbacks don't mean that the progress from earlier didn't happen. Don't take that away from her and don't take it away from yourself either. We take it slowly, baby steps like you said we would" Clara finished and for a minute the Doctor was surprised by her understanding of the situation. "Did they teach you that on a training course?" the Doctor remarked with a chuckle. "Oh no, it's a natural talent. Now, should she be in there on her own? I heard the smash and the screaming" Clara said, looking at the clock on the wall and noting how long the time lady had been left alone. "She'll be okay. Needed a bit of time to calm down" he replied, pulling out the pack of tablets and throwing them onto the table. "I'm going to give her some medication though, help her to settle a bit. It'll be safer for everyone. I'm worried she might hurt you or herself or the baby if she carries on like this" he admitted, setting about making the three of them drinks being sure to add two of the sedatives grounded up into Missy's tea. It would only make her drowsy and maybe make her drift off to sleep for a while. "I think that's a good idea" Clara said, watching carefully as the Doctor ground up the tiny white capsules. If he hadn't reached the conclusion that medication would be necessary himself, she would have been suggesting it. "It'll will help Missy. You're doing the right thing" she reassured when hesitation cross his features. "I know."

Back in the lounge, Missy was lost. Now the rush from before had ended she felt empty. The Doctor was gone. Clara was gone. Where had they gone? Were they going to leave her? Was he going to make her go somewhere again. Somewhere to be locked away again. The only thing left with her was this thing. This parasite. How could she have let herself start to bond with it? This was what they wanted to happen. All of them, the Time Lords, the Faction. The infant's presence was anything but settled, they had felt their mother get angry and could now pick up on her sadness. Missy felt the tiny presence cowering away from her. Good, she thought. Stay away, just because you're living in me doesn't mean we have to like each other. The room was growing dark as dusk closed in and Missy forced herself to stand, walking sluggishly towards the window. Each step was a struggle, a physical and mental one. It felt like she was stuck in quicksand, sinking deeper with each step. Still, she carried on, eventually reaching the window and looking out at the street. Pressing her forehead against the window, she tried to use the coolness to ground herself not turning around when she heard the door click open and sensed the Doctor shuffle in.

"I've got a tea for you" he said, placing the mug down with a clink on the coffee table. Clara wasn't with him, he'd sent her upstairs to get a jumper and blanket for Missy. He hoped that by the time she returned, Missy would have had some of the tea and be less volatile. Missy's shoulders tensed and she felt as though she were sinking deeper, being swallowed whole. She knew what she wanted to say to the Doctor- she wanted to apologise, to ask if he was going to send her away again, to say she knew that the tea was drugged (and that she was glad it was). None of the words or sentiments would form though, instead building up in her throat causing her to exhale audibly. The Doctor remained on the spot, watching the uneven rise and fall of her shoulders. "Come and sit down, have a bit of this tea" he tried again, maintaing a steady voice, being sure that she didn't feel like she was being ordered to do anything. After a few seconds, Missy forced herself to reply, feeling sick as the words left her. "I can't move. I feel like I can't move" she gasped, choking on her words and knowing how ridiculous she sounded. The Doctor approached warily, watching her lift her head away from the window. All her movements looked heavy. "Yes you can, sweetheart, I'll walk with you. It's only a few steps. A few little steps, we'll do it together" he said, looping an arm behind her and moving slowly towards the sofa. One step. Two step. Missy halted, nearly buckling. She would have done were it not for the Doctor's hold. "I've got you, it's okay. Come on, a few more steps" he said, watching her nod and start walking again. When she made it to the sofa, she pulled her knees into a hug, opening her mouth to thank the Doctor but finding the words wouldn't form. Instead, she just nodded, hoping he'd realise it was her thanks. He did, taking a seat next to her and picking up her tea. "It's okay. That wasn't too bad, was it? Now, will you have some of this tea for me?" He said, passing her the mug of warm liquid. "Cold" Missy remarked, realising for the first time how chilly she felt as the mug warmed her hands. "Tea's nice and warm" she added, wrapping her hands tightly round the mug and watching, hypnotised, as the steam rose up and danced in front of her. "Yes, the tea will warm you up" the Doctor encouraged, understanding her train of thought even when she wasn't able to articulate it properly. "And Clara's gone to get you a jumper. It can get a bit chilly in the evenings" he added. "Medicine? In here?" Missy asked, motioning to her cup. It wasn't accusing and she knew the answer anyway, it was her way of telling him she knew. "Yes, Kos, there's medicine in the tea. It'll help you feel better" the Doctor replied, having no intention of lying to her. Missy nodded, closing her eyes and taking a sip. "Thank you" she muttered, finishing off the tea "and thank you for no needles" she added, passing the cup back to the Doctor.

The tea still felt warm in her throat when Missy started to feel fuzzy, everything moving in slow motion. She thought she'd be asleep by now. Wasn't that what was meant to happen? "It's not the type that puts you to sleep" the Doctor said, sensing Missy's projection and obvious confusion as the time lady swayed slightly. Missy turned to face him, trying to locate the origin of the sound. He sounded so far away but he was right next to her. The baby moved inside her, every movement feeling heightened yet subdued in her sedated state. Her baby. It was her baby, whether she liked it or not. Had she hurt it when she lashed out? Slowly, she placed her hand on the curve of her stomach feeling a surge of relief when she felt a responsive presence. She wanted to push back a positive response but didn't have the mental capacity for it. The Doctor watched on as Missy seemed to drift away with the medication. "The baby, it's okay. I didn't hurt it. It's okay" Missy stuttered, it was her attempt at reassuring both herself and the Doctor. "I know you didn't hurt the baby. The baby's safe" the Doctor responded, pulling gently at Missy in an attempt to get her to lay down. Missy resisted the pull, feeling a wave of dizziness make its way down her body. "Are you really here? It feels strange" she slurred, swallowing back a wave of sickness and feeling her mouth dry up. "Am I really here? Nothing feels very real" she added, holding her hand out in front of her, scrutinising every blurry detail. "Everything's real, love. Lay down. You'll feel better if you lay down" the Doctor advised, stroking her arm and trying to entice her into relaxing. It looked like the medication was starting to take full effect. Missy regarded him curiously. She had had a thought but now it had disappeared. Where had it gone? It was something about the baby, something about the medication. "yes, yes, okay, yes" Missy slurred, laying herself down against the Doctor. Running his hand up and down her arm, the Doctor noted how cold she actually was. "You are cold, aren't you love? Clara will be back with jumper for you in a minute" he commented, wrapping an arm tighter around her in an attempt to warm her. "Mhmm. Clara. Jumper" Missy repeated, the words feeling strange as they left her mouth. Everything felt strange. "Will I fall to sleep, Thete?" Missy asked in a hushed whisper trying to think back to other medication she had had in the past. It felt different this time. "You might have a little nap, but it's not the type of medication that puts you to sleep for a long time" the Doctor replied, searching Missy's face intently, finding nothing but a vacant expression. "I can close my eyes then?" She asked clumsy hands attempting to grip the Doctor's shirt, movements becoming panicked when she couldn't maintain her hold. "I'm here, I'm here" the Doctor hushed, taking hold of one of her hands and running his thumb firmly along her knuckles. "Yes, love you can close your eyes. Have a rest" he said, pecking the top of her head. Missy's eyes drifted shut and she remembered her earlier thought. "S'medication okay for baby? S'it won't, won't hurt it?" Missy mumbled, speech becoming more difficult as she shuffled to face him. In turn, the Doctor smiled, she did care about the baby. That much was evident, but he wasn't going to push her into admitting to those emotions. "The medication won't hurt the baby. They're safe, now you rest" he reassured, watching her roll off of him and settle on the sofa.

The Doctor watched Missy, who seemed to be in a light sleep, for a few seconds only looking away when Clara walked in with a blanket and jumper. Deciding not to wake the time lady to give her the jumper, the Doctor placed the woolen blanket over her shoulders, smiling as she sunk into the sofa. "She'll be okay" he declared after watching Missy doze lightly. Clara was right, they'd just have to take things at a slow pace. He'd given her two tablets on this occasion but hoped that on a day to day basis, half a tablet would suffice. It would be just enough to balance her out and make her feel everything a little less intensely. "She will be" Clara agreed, watching the time lady roll over, open her eyes and look around the room before taking a few long blinks. Clara looked over at the Doctor, wondering if they should do something or say something. "Leave her" he said to Clara, smiling softly at Missy as her eyes fixed on his face. "She's not really with us at the moment, she'll fall back to sleep in a minute" the Doctor explained, watching as Missy did just that. "See" the Doctor smiled as Clara nodded.

The rest of the evening was quiet. Missy drifted in and out of sleep, occasionally she would mutter something but, more often, she would look around the room dazedly before returning to sleep. Meanwhile, Clara got on with some lesson plans to send to her cover at the school while the Doctor fashioned some wires and old microwave parts into something or other. To Clara, it looked like some type of projector. Watching the Doctor shine the home-made machine against the wall her guesses were confirmed. On the blank wall behind her, stars and planets lit up the entire room playing a melodic tune. It was just like the snow globe he'd given Maisa when she was first loomed. Clara looked at the scene in awe. "That's amazing" she gasped, closing her folders and placing them on the foot rest. The Doctor smiled proudly. "Aye, it is. But Missy would be able to make a better one. We learnt it at the Academy. Of course, we had less shoddy material then. I'm hoping she'll be able to try and make one in a few days. You know, give her something to do, something to focus on. That's what we used to do together when she was ill in the past. Until then, she'll be waking up in a bit and won't really be able to do much, I gave her a pretty high dose. She'll like looking at this though. It'll be something calming for her." Clara nodded, still looking at the scene.

Missy knew she was dreaming when she heard Maisa's giggle. She didn't care, she never wanted this dream to end. This may have been a dream but it was also snippets of her life. Snippets of real events. It was like opening up an old photo album and being able to delve into the past. "That's it, well done. Oh well done, little pea" Koschei exclaimed, scooping the toddler into her arms as she waddled from her play mat to her mother's desk. It was the most consecutive steps she'd seen her daughter take. Her hearts swelled. Koschei closed her files, no longer caring about the new arms deal that the High Council wanted her to secure. It was a risky arrangement, collecting weapons off planet to add to the army's growing arsenal in preparation for the Time War. Koschei didn't want to think about any of that as she held Maisa in her lap. The 14 month old reached a podgy hand out, tapping it inquisitively across her mother's face. It was sticky with Omega knew what, but Koschei didn't care. As Maisa's hand neared her mouth, the time lady pretended to bite her hand breaking into a huge grin as the time tot gurgled in delight. The gurgle built into a belly laugh as Koschei pulled a face and tickled Maisa's stomach. "Mama funny" the toddler babbled in delight.

Missy turned in her sleep, she thinks she opened her eyes but can't be sure, she'd definitely made out the two blurry figures of the Doctor and Clara. Things were still hazy from the sedatives but it didn't matter, she just wanted to return to her dream. It was so rare for her to have a pleasant one like this. She remembers this day like it was yesterday, not several centuries ago. It was five days after Theta had been dismissed from his teaching post at the Academy. His views were too liberal in pre-war Gallifrey. It was the day that she'd received the letter from Cilinzia, requesting her assistance in pulling Theta out of his slump. Koschei hadn't heard from Cilinzia in decades. She'd gone the next morning, Maisa in tow to try to cheer Theta up. It had taken time but it had worked. The day hadn't been all bad, though. During the afternoon, her and Maisa had had a wonderful time playing and laughing. That was the memory Missy wanted to return to. She wanted to hear her daughter's laugh again. The amount of sedatives in her system made it easy to return to the dream, return back to being Koschei. Return back to being Maisa's mama. "Mama may be funny, but she loves her Maisa very much" Koschei said, blowing a raspberry on the tot's stomach, hearing her laugh in delight, tubby limbs flailing at every angle. "Mama so funny. Maisa love mama" she exclaimed, hands reaching into Koschei's hair. Koschei smiled, snuggling against her daughter. Missy stirred again, whimpering slightly at her daughter's declaration. She had failed her. The Doctor and Clara looked over at Missy for a second, watching until she settled again. Returning back to her dream world, Koschei held onto Maisa a little tighter. "Mama's hungry. I'm going to eat you all up. Yum, yum, yum" she said, pretending to nibble at the little girl. "Mama so silly" Maisa laughed, grabbing hold of her mother's cheeks and planting a sloppy kiss to her lips before nuzzling against her chest with a yawn. Koschei smiled brightly, "my little pea."

Suddenly, the dream jumped, in that strange way that dreams always do. Missy became aware of another presence in the room. It was no longer just her and Maisa. The third presence wasn't oppressive or cruel, it was just curious. Still, Missy took no risk. She tightened her grip on Maisa. Stupid, really, her little girl wasn't actually there. This was a figment, still she held her tight. Trying to absorb the feel and scent of her daughter. "Mama, who's that" Maisa asked, sounding less like a toddler and more like an adult. She'd never got the chance to hear her daughter with a grown up voice. Something was changing in the dream, changing from memories of events to something else. Missy knew who it was that had joined them. She was starting to recognise their imprint as well as she knew Maisa's or her own or the Doctor's. "Don't look at it, Maisa" Missy said trying to hold on to her daughter. Defiantly, the dream version of Maisa jumped off of her lap and approached the bundle of light from which the presence was emitting. "It's a baby, mama. It's your baby" Maisa said, turning back and smiling broadly. "I'm a big sister." "No, no, no" Missy said, "you're my baby. Not that thing." Maisa walked back to her mother, speaking to her again in that foreign adult voice. "Don't be scared, mama. I'm still your baby, too. We both are. We're both your little girls."

Another daughter, Missy thought to herself. She'd been starting to sense the gender of the child but was working hard to ignore it. Now there was no denying her suspicions, she was going to have another little girl. Trying to reach out and hold on to both the girls, Missy felt them slip away as she started to awaken.

Missy jolted awake, feeling saliva dripping on her hand. In her dream, everything was clear and she felt wide awake. In reality, however, everything was a blur and nothing felt real. Sloppily shaking her hands, the time lady tried to rid herself of the pins and needles. Her head was heavy. She tried to sit up but lacked the strength. Missy opened her mouth to speak but her throat and mouth were dry. It hurt. She coughed. Tried again. "Maisa" she croaked, blinking foggily catching a glimpse of Clara standing up and hovering between the sofa and the door. Why was the human moving so fast? It was making Missy even dizzier. Where was the Doctor, though? "Doctor" she heard Clara call out into the hallway. The woman was only metres away from her but she sounded miles away. Missy strained to make out what was going on, lifting her head briefly but flopping it back on the sofa. "Doctor" Clara repeated "Missy's awake." The human looked down at Missy, watching her stare up unblinkingly. This was different to the other times she'd woken up, she didn't look like she was going to fall back to sleep. Clara smiled kindly at Missy, sensing her confusion "you had some medicine, do you remember?" She said, watching the time lady nod. Missy tried to focus her vision and failed. Saw two Claras, almost like her splinter selves, she thought to herself, laughing inwardly and stopping abruptly when she could no longer remember what she'd found funny in the first place. "You've been napping for about an hour. How are you feeling?" Missy nodded again, noting a general feeling of grogginess. Thete must have given her a high dose this time. Why such a high dose? Catching sight of the bruise on Clara's cheek, she remembered her violent outburst. That would be the reason. She couldn't find the words to respond to Clara's questions. Instead, she looked into the hallway. "Doctor?" She questioned, watching Clara kneel down beside her. "He'll be here in a minute he-" "S'c'scouldn't sit still?" Missy asked, attempting a laugh and cringing at her slurring. Clara nodded. "Maisa. S'nice dream" Missy breathed, trying to hold onto the memory of playing with her daughter. The drugs had loosened her tongue, she wanted to tell anyone that would listen that she'd seen her Maisa, even if it was only in a dream. "Who is Maisa?" Clara asked smiling gently at Missy. "My daughter, my first s'daughter on Gallifrey. Not 'is one. S'not it, her" she responded moving her hand to run over her bump. "You had a nice dream about Maisa?" Clara asked tentatively, avoiding discussing the unborn baby for fear she would cause distress. Missy smiled and nodded. It was such a nice dream about her little pea. Missy wanted to talk about her daughter, to remember her. "She was on my...on my not my knees, what's that word...On my..." Missy rambled, tapping her legs "on your lap?" Clara offered and Missy nodded. "Yes! On my lap. We were playing and laughing. It was so, so s'nice" Missy said voice catching as she heard herself.

"Maisa was a happy little girl" the Doctor said, joining the two women in the room. "Although, wasn't she stubborn? The stand-offs you two used to have, even when she was a toddler. I wonder where she got that from" he said, waggling his eyebrows at Missy who laughed. The grogginess was starting to lift, but not fast enough as she tried to sit up again and couldn't quite support her own weight. "Here, let me help you" the Doctor said easing her up and helping her sit against some plush cushions. From where she sat, her rounded middle was more prominent making her pregnancy evident. Clara and the Doctor tried to avert their gazes while Missy tried to ignore where their eyes had originally fallen. They all needed to get used to the situation, Missy thought to herself, her especially.

Her mind grew foggy again as she tried to lift heavy arms and adjust her dress to hide the bump. After several clumsy attempts, she gave up and closed her eyes with a sigh. The Doctor watched on, not having the hearts to tell her that hiding the pregnancy wasn't really possible. It certainly wouldn't be for much longer. She had such a slight frame, any added weight was evident. "How about something to eat? You haven't had anything for dinner. Some food will ease up the drugs" the Doctor said, more as a distraction as he watched Missy nod. She was hungry, she wanted something spicy, those chillies that Clara had put in her salad at lunch time seemed like a good idea. The Doctor watched Missy nod, surprised but pleased with her compliance, "what would you like, a meal or a snack?" "Those red things...the chillies Clara had at lunch" Missy replied, licking her dry lips and feeling them crack.

The strange, comforting nostalgia that she had felt waking up was leaving her; she was starting to feel empty again. "Okay. I'll get you some chillies" the Doctor said quickly as he watched her mood shift. Missy looked up at the Doctor, "can you stay here?" She asked, watching the Doctor take a seat next to her. "I'll get the food" Clara offered, making her way to the kitchen. The two time lords sat in silence for a while, the Doctor glancing over at Missy from time to time trying to decide whether it was the medication or something else that was making her distant. When the brunette shivered, the Doctor reached for the jumper resting on the coffee table. "Here, it's a bit cold" he said passing it to Missy and watching her clumsily put it on, choosing not to point out that it was on inside out. He watched on as Missy scrunched her eyes shut and blinked them open. "You had quite a strong dose of the sedative this time. It won't always be this bad. I'll give you half a tablet tomorrow" he said, watching Missy try and follow his words. "Half?" She questioned, eyes squinting before she understood what he had said, "yes, half, half, half half, half" Missy giggled before turning solemn. The Doctor watched on, letting her react, knowing that the drugs were still in her system. "Kate called while you were sleeping" he said eventually, recalling his phone call with the Unit leader who had managed to catch him while he was killing time in the kitchen. Looking over at the time lady, he wasn't sure she was really listening to him. "Kate?" She muttered eventually, confusion etched across her features. "Kate, from Unit" he explained patiently, watching the recognition dawn on Missy's features. "Oh yes, the blonde one...the daughter one. I do know that. I do. It's the drugs, that's all" Missy said, growing frustrated with herself. "That's the one, yes, love. I know it's just the drugs" the Doctor said. "Anyway she's coming over tomorrow with Me and Henry" he paused watching Missy nod, "and she's bringing her daughter" the Doctor said quickly. Missy's expression clouded in confusion again. "No, but she can't have a daughter, she's only in her forties" she said, mind fogging over. "She's human, remember? Not Gallifreyan" the Doctor said, realising Missy's mistake. "Anyway, I've told Kate that you won't be a risk to her daughter. Can you promise me that you won't be?" the Doctor pressed, not really sure how much Missy was understanding. "If you feel like you might do something, will you tell me? I'll give you some more medicine and make sure that you have space to calm down" the Doctor pressed, he wasn't taking any risks. Missy nodded, wanting to protest, but knowing she couldn't. The Doctor reached over, cupped her elbow and ran his thumb over it. "Thank you."

"I'm hungry" Missy declared after a few minutes. She'd fallen back to sleep by the time Clara had returned to the lounge with a bowl of chillies. The Doctor and Clara didn't mention she'd dozed off, instead Clara passed her the bowl watching as she began to tuck in. It was late, by this time, and the young human decided to head to bed. As Missy finished off the last of the chillies, the Doctor asked if she wanted to go to bed. "I don't think I'll sleep properly" she said, watching the Doctor nod in agreement. "Okay. We'll stay up then. Hey, do you want to see something I made earlier? I think you'll like it" he said, producing the make shift projector. The two time lords passed the night watching an impression of the stars and the galaxies on a ceiling in a Richmond Upon Thames house.


	28. Chapter Twenty-eight

"Doctor?" Missy ventured, peering her head around the door of the lounge while carrying in a tray of tea and porridge. The time lady had woken up about an hour ago and found, to her surprise, that the Doctor was asleep using her shoulder as a pillow and resting a hand on her stomach. They must have dozed off at some point in the early hours. She'd stayed still for a few minutes, enjoying the intimacy of the moment and the sensation of not feeling sick or confused. It was still early, barely past six am, and the house was silent bar the lashing of rain against the windows. Clara was no doubt still fast asleep. Missy didn't want to wake either of them, she felt fine and wanted to enjoy the feelings of independence that she hadn't been able to have the last few days. Squeezing out from under the Doctor's arm, Missy smiled as she watched the time lord grumble and roll over. He must have been tired, it had been a rough few days for him too and no matter how much the Doctor protested, he did need regular sleep. The time lady left the lounge as quietly as possible, making her way upstairs and changing into a pair of leggings and a stripy jumper. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she'd scowled at the grey landscape that greeted her outside. They'd be no reading outside today. Wait, hadn't the Doctor said they were having visitors today? Yes, Kate and her daughter. A little girl, he'd want her to have some more medication before they arrived so she wasn't a risk to the daughter daughter one. Missy considered taking the medication herself but wasn't sure if the Doctor would believe she'd taken it. Also, she wasn't really sure how long it had been since she'd had that large dose. No, she'd just wait for the Doctor to wake up and enjoy the clarity she had for now.

As she sat, looking out at the street and weighing up her options, she felt the baby start to wake up. Missy gulped, nibbling at her bottom lip. Good morning she projected, unsure how the baby would react to her following the events of the previous evening. I'm sorry, poppet, I was a bit tired last night. I'm going to try and be better with you today the time lady projected, realising that the infant had no real understanding of what she was saying. Instead, all the child understood was when her mother was happy or sad or settled or unsettled. Missy sighed as she felt the infant tentatively reach out. The baby was still curious, but was more reluctant. Missy had scared her unborn daughter; gulping and closing her eyes, she tried a different angle. Okay poppet, it's okay Missy hadn't been able to call the baby little pea since her dream about Maisa and the confirmation that this baby was another daughter. The baby brushed her mind closer to Missy's, still hesitating. Don't be scared. Would you like me to show you something? These are the stars and the galaxies the time lady projected, feeling the infant's presence nuzzle closer, mesmerised by the projection. You'll see them one day, I hope. The time lady and time tot sat happily for a few minutes before the baby expressed a need for food. Missy smiled, relieved. If the baby felt comfortable enough to express her needs, then they were on the road to recovery. Hungry, poppet? Let's get some breakfast. Porridge, I think.

Missy was quite proud of what she'd achieved with the morning, making porridge for herself and the Doctor, along with two teas. About five minutes before hand, though, she'd started to grow restless and wanted the Doctor to wake up. It was close to seven, he wouldn't mind being woken up now, would he? Now, as she stood at the door watching the Doctor shift in his sleep, she decided it was fine to wake him. "Doctor" she tried again, slightly louder as she knocked the door open with her foot and edged her way in, cursing as the tea spilled on the plastic tray. The Doctor shifted, waking suddenly and becoming aware of Missy's absence. "I'm here, Missy. Are you okay?" He yawned, surprised when he saw the time lady up and dressed. "That's good to know, dear, but I can see you" she replied, her usual bravado not as convincing after the last few days. "I'm over here. I got us some breakfast. I would have got Clara something but I didn't know if she was allergic to anything, you know what these humans are like, and didn't want you thinking I was trying to poison her." Missy said watching the Doctor sit up and yawn once more, nodding sleepily in recognition. Adjusting his eyes and noting the heavy tray that Missy was holding, the Doctor jumped up. "Give me that, it looks heavy" he said as he took the plate and placed it on the coffee table, causing the teas to slosh even more. "I'm not human! I'm sure I can manage to carry a tray" Missy protested with a huff. "No, but you are pregnant. You shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting. It could hurt you or the baby" the Doctor said gently as Missy rolled her eyes. On reflection, the tray wasn't that heavy and the Doctor may have overreacted. "You're welcome for the breakfast" Missy snarked, pulling a cushion off of the sofa and sitting on it as she began eating her porridge, adding several of the red chillies to it. The Doctor quirked an eyebrow, refraining from commenting on her breakfast choice. Taking a sip of his tea, the Doctor cringed at the lukewarm liquid. Still, she had really tried. "Thank you for the breakfast" he said between mouthfuls of porridge that was, thankfully, better than the tea.

The rain outside was getting heavier and the sun had still failed to make an appearance. "How long have you been awake, love?" the Doctor asked Missy as he piled up the empty bowls. "Since about six. Don't worry, I didn't do anything. I just got dressed and made breakfast" she replied, tearing up a napkin and fashioning little people and houses out of the shreds. Once everything was perfect, she blew a gust of air over the landscape, laughing as it went from peaceful to a chaotic mess. The Doctor watched on, ignoring her action and nodding. "I know. You could have woken me up." "I did." There was a clap of thunder outside. Missy jumped and tried to hide it. The Doctor ignored her reaction and continued with their conversation. "I meant before, when you woke up." Missy shrugged. "You were tired. Anyway, I wanted to do things for myself. I'm not an invalid. It was nice to be more independent again." A flash of lightening lit up the room, quickly followed by another rumbling of thunder. Missy looked out of the window and back at the Doctor, who tried not to liken her to a nervous cat. Deciding not to comment on the storm or Missy's nervousness, the Doctor continued with the conversation. "Well I'm glad and breakfast was lovely" he praised, genuinely pleased with what she had achieved that morning.

The lounge remained darkened by the gloomy weather so the Doctor turned on the lights. Missy gulped as another clap of thunder sounded through the house. It wasn't the storm that was making her nervous, Gallifrey had much louder storms that lasted days on end, it was more the sudden noises that had her on edge. Not wanting to ruin the morning's progress, Missy decided to join the Doctor on the sofa, sitting next to the other time lord and nestling under her discarded blanket. The Doctor noted her actions, but didn't comment on them directly. Instead, he decided to take some practical action. "It's horrible weather today" he commented casually, "I'm going to shut these curtains so we don't have to see it. Why don't you turn on the radio? Even human music is better than that annoying thunder." Missy nodded and followed his instructions, grateful for the distraction as she settled back onto the sofa. Returning to the sofa, the Doctor glanced at the tray with the used breakfast bowls, a silver packet catching his attention. It was Missy's medication. She hadn't taken any, had she? It was still too soon after last night's dose. It didn't look as though she'd taken any, she'd be next to unconscious if she had. Still, he had to check. "Missy" the Doctor began, watching the time lady turn to face him. "Have you taken any medication today?" He asked carefully, trying not to sound accusatory. Missy's eyes widened in the style of a deer caught in the headlights and she shook her head. "No, I know I have to today because of everyone coming over but I didn't want to just yet. Everything was feeling so clear for the first time in a while. I will take it" she explained and the Doctor sighed in relief. "Oh no, that's fine, I just wanted to check because you had quite a bit last night and I didn't want you to accidentally overdose. How about taking some in about an hour or so. I think half a tablet should be enough for today" the Doctor said, smiling as Missy nodded. "Half a tablet won't put me to sleep or make me feel as bad as yesterday, will it?" the time lady asked, recalling the confusion she'd felt the night previous. The Doctor shook his head. "No, love, it'll just help you to feel a bit more relaxed." Missy smiled, edging her way towards the Doctor, "okay. But not just yet, I feel a bit sick and there's no point in having the medicine if it's just going to come back up." The pair fell into a companionable silence, listening to the radio and enjoying the feeling of two Gallifreyan consciouses buzzing next to each other.

The storm had settled down quickly, leaving just a light shower of rain. The Doctor had watched on guiltily as Missy darted out to the bathroom every so often, waving him away when he tried to follow. Returning after her latest trip, Missy flopped down next to the Doctor. "Are you okay?" He asked as she settled and nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. "I think that was the last of it. This part will end soon, right?" Missy asked hopefully, turning her sweat laced face towards the Doctor. "Yes. Dr. Chang said it should pass in the next few weeks" the Doctor replied, hearing Clara start to walk around upstairs. "Mhmm" Missy responded, not entirely happy with the couple of weeks part.

The time lady shifted position as the baby moved. The time lord watched, checking that all was okay. "Doctor, can I tell you something?" Missy said pensively. "Of course" the Doctor responded instantly, eager for her to be able to tell him anything. "The baby's a girl. Another daughter" Missy sighed. "A little girl?" the Doctor questioned noncommittally, not wanting to lead the direction of the conversation. "Yes another girl, but she's not another daughter. Not really" Missy corrected herself, pulling at the loose jumper. This baby was still a weapon, still not really her daughter. Missy shielded the thought from escaping and reaching the infant that had only just begun to trust her again. The Doctor reached out and squeezed her hand, "she's your baby, Missy. If you want to keep her, we'll find a way." Missy shook her head, "my lifestyle isn't made for a child. I ruined it the first time round, there are some things you shouldn't get a second chance at."

Upstairs, the footsteps of Clara moving around became louder along with a muffled conversation. The Doctor knew not to push Missy, not after yesterday. At least they still had a few months to get used to the idea. Whether Missy chose to keep the child or not, the Doctor would ensure that they were both kept safe. He couldn't, however, let Missy blame herself for Maisa's death; while the Mistress had the blood of thousands on her hands, Maisa's untimely passing wasn't one of them. "What happened to Maisa wasn't your fault, Missy. I don't know what I can do to make you understand that" he sighed watching Missy shake her head. "I was her mother and she died. I couldn't protect her. The blame lies with me" Missy said resolutely, reciting the same response she always gave. The Doctor sighed and opened his mouth to protest but was stopped by the time lady. "Can we not talk about this anymore? We'll have people coming over and you said you want me to be settled" Missy said, wanting to end this particular line of conversation. The day had started well, she didn't want to ruin before it was even 10am. "Yes, okay" the Doctor agreed, wanting to add that she could talk about it anytime but, knowing how patronising she had always found that sentiment, refrained from doing so. In turn, Missy moved closer to the Doctor, latching onto his side and resting her head in his lap, humming happily. The Doctor loved and hated moments like this. While it allowed him to be close to his friend, the passiveness wasn't her. It never had been. It was always a sign things weren't quite right and the Doctor worried how much more her sanity would be damaged at the end of all of this.

By this stage, Clara had made it downstairs and realised that, once again, she had stumbled upon an intimate moment. Trying not to react to the news that Missy's daughter had died, Clara waited for the two time lords to stop talking before making her presence known. "Morning" Clara chirped, watching as both time lords turned around to face her before continuing. "I had a call from Kate, apparently she couldn't get through to you Doctor" she said, glancing over to the Doctor's phone on the table. "Oh, I turned that thing off. I didn't want it going off after Missy fell to sleep and then I fell to sleep and guess I forgot to turn it back on" the time lord explained, watching Missy turn onto her back and look up at him, eyebrow quirked. "Honey, I was drugged, the almighty Dalek Empire could have stormed this house last night and I wouldn't have woken up. Don't you try using me as an excuse. This is the academy all over again, 'Mr. I-didn't-do-the-essay-professor-because-Koschei-fell to-sleep-before-he-had-the-chance-to-proof-read-it-for-me.' " Missy huffed indignantly, smirking at Clara who was pleased to see the time lady had some of her bite back. "You know, I stayed up late that night especially to read your essay. The problem was it got to two hours before classes were due to start and the essay still didn't exist. I couldn't proof read something wasn't there" Missy continued. "That was over a thousand years ago, would you let it go already" the Doctor sighed watching Missy scrunch up her nose and mutter "never." "Anyway" the Doctor continued "I don't like that phone. It's a nuisance. I could make one much better, technology in this era is so primitive" he moaned, watching Missy roll her eyes. "Everything on this planet is primitive. You can't make a better one, you'll interfere with time and fixed points and all those things you don't like me messing with because of paradoxes and blah, blah, blah" she listed.

As the Doctor went to protest, Clara coughed and interrupted "right knock it off, the pair of you. Neither of you are inventing a better mobile phone too early. Doctor, I don't care why you turned off the phone, just turn it back on. Kate was just calling to say they'd be here in about half an hour and she was worried something had happened" the human finished, pausing for breath and looking at the two time lord's who stared at her, mouths hanging open. "I told you you should have left your phone on. Now you're in trouble with the boss" Missy teased, "you didn't tell me that. Like you said, you were drugged." the Doctor replied, parroting Missy's words from earlier. Missy pouted, "well, I thought it and that's pretty much the same thing." Clara exhaled, patience thinning as she massaged her temples. "Doctor, just turn on your phone. You two are worse than year nines" she said as she sunk into the armchair. The Doctor begrudgingly turned on his phone, watching Missy jump up. "You look stressed, Clara, would you like me to get you a cup of tea?" the time lady asked, sounding less like a megalomaniac and more like a teacher's pet. She'd alway been like that during their days as students, getting into trouble in private and sucking up to the professor publicly. It was no wonder she was such a bully magnet. Somewhere along the centuries, she had given up the pretence. "Thank you, Missy, that would be lovely" Clara said, smiling at the older woman, pleased to see that she was clearly better than the previous evening. "Okay" Missy smiled, perching on the arm rest "what type of tea would you like, dear? I saw some green tea or there was some red berries and something or other. It looked delightful, that fruity stuff is supposed to help with stress" the time lady said, pausing thoughtfully. "Of course history, or I guess future to you, shows that they're not all that good for you. Turns out that a Californian yogi, who was actually pretty evil and not me before you ask, was using fruit teas and super foods to prepare the human race for a war against a race I can't remember the name of. It got pretty messy, actually. But the tea still smells nice" Missy finished, reaching out and twirling a piece of Clara's hair between her fingers. Clara, who had forgotten boundaries weren't a thing with Missy when she was feeling more like herself, wasn't sure if the time lady was kidding or not. It sounded like a joke. The Doctor rolled his eyes, knowing Missy was mostly serious about the Super Food Wars of the 25th Century. Clara decided to take a chance, even if Missy wasn't joking, she'd be long dead by the time the war actually started. "I'll have a green tea please" Clara decided watching Missy nod enthusiastically and head out to the kitchen, turning as she got to the door. "Did you want another cup, Thete?" she asked, the Doctor looked down at his half empty cup and remembered bitterly the terrible taste. How could one manage to mess up a cup of tea? Domesticity had never been her forte. "Um no, no thank you" he said quickly, adding "but get yourself a drink so you can take some of the medicine. They'll be here soon." The Doctor felt guilty about having to ruin her good mood but knew it was better than having something go wrong later in the day. "Okay, but it's just a half a tablet today" Missy said, watching happily when the Doctor nodded. "I'll be back in a minute" the time lady half sang as she left the room.

Clara looked over to the closed curtains, walking over and opening them up, "why are these still shut?" She questioned, noting the empty bowls on the coffee table, "you look like you've both been up a few hours." The Doctor squinted as sunlight drenched the room. The storm had passed but it was still grey outside and pools of water remained from dawn's early downpour. The sun was low and made it look more like late November than summer. "Missy was a bit jumpy with the storm, it was easier to close the curtains and turn the radio on" the Doctor explained, shrugging towards the radio. "And we have been up a while. Well, Missy was up first, she was up on her own for nearly an hour before she woke me up. She'd gotten dressed and made breakfast" the Doctor added watching Clara smile. "That's good, that's progress. She certainly seems better" Clara said, cringing as she heard a clang in the kitchen followed by a reassurance from Missy that everything was fine. The Doctor nodded once the noise had passed. "Yes, it is. When she brings in the tea, though, don't worry if you can't drink it" he warned, watching Clara laugh, "oh come on, it's only a tea, it can't be that bad." The time lord raised his eyebrows, "you'd think, but my Missy has never been good at anything in the kitchen. Science and inter-planetary politics, yes, but making a cup tea not so much" the Doctor laughed, Clara chose to ignore his possessive claim over Missy and smiled. "Although, to be fair, cooking's not really a strong point of the Gallifreyan population. Usually, most of us lose patience or get distracted or both" he added, watching as Missy kicked the door open and shuffled in holding two cups of tea. "Here you go, Clara" she said passing the over-filled mug to the brunette before taking a seat next to the Doctor. "Thanks" Clara replied, taking a sip of the tea and holding back a gag; she felt like she was playing make believe at a child's tea party. "You're welcome, dear" Missy beamed obliviously while the Doctor looked on knowingly. "Right" he said, slapping his hand gently on his knee, attracting Missy's attention and giving Clara a chance to spit the tea back into the cup. "Will you take half of this tablet for me now, Missy? They'll be here soon" the Doctor said, popping the silver film and breaking the capsule in two holding it in his palm for Missy to take. The time lady accepted it swallowing it down with a swig of tea as the Doctor watched intently. Missy saw him scrutinising her features and opened her mouth making an 'ah' sound, "all gone. Cross my hearts" she stated, half mockingly and half because she knew he had to see she'd taken the medication. "Good. Thank you" the Doctor praised, as Missy stood back up and went to retrieve the projector the Doctor had made. From what she remembered from last night, it was shoddy work and needed some improvements. "Will you stay sat down for me, the sedatives won't make you fall to sleep or feel as bad as yesterday, but you might feel a bit spaced out for an hour or so. We can watch a bit of telly together" he suggested, watching Missy halt and then return to her seat, drawing her legs underneath herself and settling as the television set lit up the room. The improvements would have to wait.

It hadn't taken long for Missy to start feeling spaced out. It wasn't nearly as bad as the night before, but just made everything numbed and her actions slowed. Missy was familiar with the feeling of being medicated and knew the extent of the effects would pass then she wouldn't feel quite as absent. Out in the hallway, the doorbell rang and Clara, after looking at the two time lords, decided to go and answer it. The Doctor nodded gratefully at the human while Missy's attention remained fixed on the television. Out in the hallway, Clara could make out their expected visitors from behind the frosted glass. Closing the lounge door in case the guests startled Missy, Clara opened the door welcoming Kate et al with a smile. "Hi guys, come in you look freezing out there. So much for summer, eh?" She said stepping to the side and watching as everyone traipsed in, muddy shoes and wet coats quickly being discarded. Once the group were huddled in the hallway, Clara caught sight of young Daisy, hiding behind her mother's legs and anxiously surveying the new surroundings. "Hello, you must be Daisy, I'm Clara" she beamed, as she crouched down smiling at the young girl. Kate, holding a small bag full of toys that she hoped would amuse her daughter, turned to Daisy, "Say hello to Clara, love, it's not like you to be shy" she encouraged, stroking her daughter's head. "Hello Clara" Daisy said quietly, breaking into a toothy grin. "Good girl" Kate praised, helping Daisy out of her rain coat. "Right, let's get you all some nice warm drinks teas, coffees, hot chocolates?" Clara offered, watching Daisy's eyes widen at the mention of hot chocolate. "Can I have a hot chocolate, mummy?" Daisy whispered watching her mother nod. "I think that's one hot chocolate and teas for the rest of us" Kate smiled, receiving nods from Henry and Me. "Where are the Doctor and Missy?" Me asked, following Clara into the kitchen and receiving a warning stare from Henry. He had warned her before they left to take things slowly. "They're just in the lounge. The Doctor gave Missy some medicine to help her stay calm. We can go and join them in a minute" Clara explained, watching Kate relax knowing that Missy wouldn't be capable of rash actions that could harm Daisy. "Why does the lady need to have medicine?" Daisy asked, looking up at her mum, "is it because of the baby?" Kate nodded, because it was easier to agree than explain otherwise. "Yes, darling, it's to help her with the baby. Now, if you ask Clara nicely, I know there was squirty cream in the fridge, unless the Doctor's eaten it all, and I think it would be excellent on that hot chocolate." Daisy's eyes lit up and when Clara produced the can of cream, their friendship was secured.

In the lounge, the two time lords had remained unmoved. Missy continued to watch as colourful patterns formed on the screen in front of her, not particularly paying mind to what she was actually watching. She could feel the Doctor running a hand through her hair and the baby moving but everything was in slow motion. The Doctor, meanwhile, heard the humans enter the kitchen and knew that he would have to make an appearance sooner rather than later. "Did the doorbell ring?" Missy asked slowly, reacting belatedly to their visitors. "Yes, Clara went to answer it. Kate and everyone's arrived" he explained, feeling Missy nod into his lap. "I'm going to go and say hello. Would you mind it if they came in here, or would you rather have some space?" He asked, watching Missy's face contort in confusion as she thought over the question. The medication was still making her reactions slower. "Did you understand what I said, Kos?" The Doctor checked, registering her confusion and running a thumb across her forehead. Missy nodded and took a few long blinks, eventually able to respond to his original question. "I don't mind. They're just humans, after all. I don't mind" Missy said, stretching and continuing to watch the screen as one set of credits rolled and another one began. The Doctor scowled as another sickly sweet tune filled the room and too many bright colours were projected from the screen. Still, Missy seemed to be enjoying it. "Okay, I'm going to see them. Will you be okay here for a while?" He checked, pleased to see that Missy was relaxed but didn't seem overly zoned out. Missy nodded and the Doctor headed into the kitchen.

"Hello, welcome to our humble abode" the Doctor greeted, entering the kitchen and watching as all the humans turned around to face him. "It isn't bigger on the inside, like I'm used to but it's served us well. It really has been great. Thanks for everything you've done" he said genuinely, smiling at the Unit boss who nodded in return. "I take it Clara has taken care of all your beverage requirements? She's better at all this human stuff, naturally so of course" he said, turning when he heard a small giggle and found Daisy looking up at him, a cream mustache lining her upper lip as she assessed him from behind a cup of hot chocolate that was nearly as big as her head. "Ah now you must be Daisy. Your mum used to have pigtails like that when she was your age. I tried to do them for her once when we were both waiting in your granddad's office but, well, long story short I got chewing gum in her hair and she had a shorter hairstyle that summer" the Doctor trailed off, smiling as Daisy laughed louder. "Is that why she had a bowl cut in one of her school photos?" She asked between laughs. "Yes" Kate answered quickly, "and bowl cuts have never been fashionable. My mother never did forgive you for that, Doctor, why do you think you got extra sprouts and the piano stool when you spent Christmas with us?" the blonde laughed. The Doctor tried his best to look apologetic but was quickly distracted by the sight of Daisy's hot chocolate. "Is that a hot chocolate with cream? Clara, why didn't you tell me we had hot chocolate and cream" the Doctor exclaimed somewhat over excitedly. Daisy nodded, "Mummy's being really nice to me today because I couldn't go to my daddy's house and I had to come along and spend my day with adults. I'm never usually allowed this much sugar" she explained seriously. "What adults? I'm not an adult" the Doctor said, furrowing his brows and causing Daisy to laugh further. "Clearly" Clara muttered, rolling her eyes at the overgrown child that seemed to have replaced the Doctor.

"Anyway" Me interrupted, growing impatient and wanting to talk to the Doctor about the baby and the time lords. "Are Missy and the baby okay? Clara said she had to have some medication" she continued, ignoring the glare from Henry, she carried on "Missy was quite worked up the other day and that stress isn't good for her or the baby. She'll need to be careful, when she was on Gallifrey they were giving her tablets that helped her body adjust to the pregnancy without those she's going to be more at risk and need to be extra careful. Any extra stress could cause more problems for them both" Me said, pausing to draw breath, Henry looked at her warningly while the Doctor turned around to face the slight woman. "Missy's fine, Me, and so is the baby" he said, suspecting Me's main concern was with the baby. Losing a child changes a person. The Doctor knew that. "Why wouldn't the baby be okay, mummy?" Daisy asked innocently, looking around at the adults in the room. Kate sighed, unsure how to explain it to her daughter. Instead, Clara stepped in offering to let the little girl try on some of her make up.

Once Daisy had left the room, the Doctor continued. "I just gave Missy some medicine because she got worked up yesterday and, like you've said, it's better for them both if she's calm" he said watching the dark haired woman nod. "I just wanted to check. Losing a baby is horrible, she shouldn't have to go through it again" Me sighed, no one should have to go through it she thought. "Anyway, I was the only one there when she lost the other babies. It was awful and I don't know if she could survive another still birth. No matter how much she labelled the infants parasites, she clung to their bodies for hours. They had to wait until nearly a whole day, when she'd finally worn herself out and fallen to sleep, before they could retrieve the last body" Me said quietly, Henry reached out and stroked her knee under the table. It was an action that didn't go unnoticed by the Doctor and he was pleased that she had finally found someone. Me had been alone in the universe too long. "I know, I know" the Doctor said gravely, face darkening as he heard more details of the previous attempts, "I never did thank you for being with Missy during those times. I really appreciate it and I'm glad she wasn't on her own the whole time" he said with a smile. Me nodded, "I couldn't have left her on her own not during that" she muttered, recalling how scared and confused Missy had been. "Even so, you were so good to her" the Doctor appeased, "I know that we have things to discuss and we will do that today. In fact, I'm sure a certain Kate has a whole list of things we have to go over" he turned to Kate watching her nod. "You bet" Kate said with a smile. "Well, it's not all work, why don't we all go and get a bit more comfortable in the lounge?" The Doctor suggested, conscious of how long Missy had been alone.

Back in the lounge, Missy heard the others approaching. Her mind was starting to feel more alert but things were still a bit fuzzy. As the door opened, the time lady tried not to jump and was relieved to see the Doctor was the first to enter. She tried not to feel like the star attraction at the zoo as the humans followed and tried not to gawp at her. In a way she was, line up, line up one and all; come and see a pregnant time lady. "I'm back, love" the Doctor said watching cautiously as the Missy sat up and her eyes darted nervously around the room. "You remember everyone, don't you?" Missy nodded, the best she could manage to acknowledge their presence "well this is nearly everyone, Clara and Daisy will be down in a minute, I presume." Missy nodded again, assuming Daisy was Kate's daughter. "Actually, while it is just us here, maybe now would be a good time to go over some things? I was talking to Dr Chang the other day and his keen to get a birth plan in place as early as possible. I have updates on Gordon and the UNIT faction, as well, and I believe Me has some updates on the time lord end of things" Kate finished, Me enthusiastically nodding at her side while Missy flinched. The Doctor felt Missy tug at his arm, pulling him to sit next to her on the sofa. "I don't know if now is really appropriate, maybe I can talk about it with you both a bit later?" the Doctor suggested, feeling Missy's fingers grasp tightly at his forearm. "Regarding the faction and the time lords, fine, but I think it will be better for Missy in the long term if she's able to help us with making the birth plan" Kate said, watching Missy's eyes narrow as she regarded the woman coldly. She had no idea what the UNIT boss was talking about- a birth plan, she imagined it was a way of taking control of what was going to happen when she delivered this baby. Missy didn't want to think about that, as far as she could she wanted to bury her head in the sand about the realities of having this child. Pushing those thoughts aside, Missy latched onto one of the other things Kate had mentioned. Gordon. While at first, the mention of his name had startled her, the time lady quickly realised how easy it would be to take revenge on the man. Infiltrating UNIT HQ was easy anyway, but now Missy was on the same side as the organisation, it would be child's play. Missy smirked, a plan already formulating in her mind.

The Doctor watched as Missy withdrew into her thoughts, putting it down to the medication but worrying slightly when he saw the smirk that played on her lips. Turning his attention back to the humans, the Doctor shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. We discussed the baby for a bit yesterday and it didn't go very well. I just don't think Missy is up to it" he said seriously. Kate sighed, "I understand that but this isn't something that can be ignored. Both Dr Chang and I agreed that it would be better for Missy if we discussed these things as early as possible to make the whole process better for Missy. It might be difficult at first but it will give her more time to get used to the idea. You've got to understand that" she finished, hoping the Doctor would see things her way.

"Dearies, I am here you know" Missy cooed, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had fallen upon the room. Me and Henry looked at each other, suppressing a laugh. They had clocked that Missy was listening to the Doctor and Kate bicker and was just waiting for the opportune moment to pipe up. They'd seen her deploy a similar tactic in her early days at the prison, just to mess with the guards. It had worked for a while, before they'd broken her in properly. "You're all sat here talking about me like I can't hear you" the time lady continued. "Sorry" the Doctor said gruffly, "I'm just thinking of you, though, you've already been through enough" he added softly, facing her as she stretched her back like a cat. "Golly gosh, another apology from the Doctor. I haven't had this many apologies from you since I was all blond hair and black hoodies and you were all trainers and pin stripes" Missy laughed for once without malice, watching the Doctor's face darken. He wished she wouldn't mention that chapter in their lives. If she'd just swallowed her pride back then and agreed to travel with him, all of this could have been avoided. Are you blaming me for this now? Missy's icy imprint echoed in his mind. It was tinged with fear and regret. He must have been thinking aloud. No, no never. None of this is your fault. I didn't mean it like that, I just wish I could have stopped this he projected back to her quickly, knowing how much she'd felt she was to blame. Missy's eyes softened and she couldn't deny the wave of relief that washed over her. I know.

The humans sat watching the two time lords curiously, wondering if they were aware that they had stopped half way through a conversation. Feeling Kate's eyes on her, Missy returned her attention to the humans. "I'll go over this birth plan thing, although I can't imagine there is much planning to it. You humans drop sprogs on a regular basis. Plus, I didn't need a plan the other times. I managed that almost completely on my own" Missy said, eyes catching with Me's as she remembered the immortal's presence in her cell during the still births and miscarriages. The time lady was speaking with a false bravado and everyone in the room knew it. She hadn't understood what was happening all those other times, let alone been able to understand the concept that it was better to plan for it. Still, they let it slide, pleased to see her more like her usual self. "Anyway, if you want me to talk about this birth plan" Missy continued, pulling a face of disdain as the words left her mouth. She hoped the look of disgust hid her pure fear of having to birth a child she had never wanted. "Then I want to ask you a few questions about what's going on" she finished, starting to formulate her plan regarding Gordon. "Missy, we've said, you can ask us anything you want at anytime. You don't need to negotiate for information" the Doctor said, running a hand down her back, withdrawing it when he felt her tense. "I know that" she hissed at him, before turning back to Kate. "Where is Gor-" Missy started, choking on his name, "where is the faction leader?" She corrected herself. "He's being kept in the UNIT cells" Kate replied instantly. Remembering Missy's concerns about him coming to the house, she added her reassurances "he's in the highest security section. There's no way he's getting out." Missy chuckled, it was sweet how highly kate thought of her security. Well, Gordon was human. It should work on him. He'd be waiting there for her like a lamb waiting to be led to the slaughter. "He won't be able to hurt you, love" the Doctor said carefully watching Missy nod and turn to him. No Missy thought to herself, he won't be able to hurt me again but I can hurt him. Shielding the thought from the Doctor, Missy leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. While she knew Gordon couldn't hurt her now, she hadn't realised it the day before and she did appreciate his reassurance, even if it wasn't really needed. "Thanks Thete, I know that now" she said, turning back when she heard an awkward cough.

"Right, now that's sorted, can we go over the other things?" Kate sad, pausing as the door opened and Daisy bounded in, followed by a tired looking Clara. "Mummy, look at the make over Clara gave me and she gave me this lip gloss" Daisy said as joined her mother on the arm chair, holding her palm out to reveal a small wand shaped lip gloss. Kate cringed at the bright red lipstick her daughter was wearing. She doubted Sam would agree with that. "It looks lovely, Daisy, but you are far too young for that lipstick" Kate said, pushing back a strand of her daughter's hair. The little girl pouted, an action that was enhanced by the red that coloured her lips. "Sorry" Clara said while Kate waved a hand dismissively, "It's fine for while we're playing in the house. Now, I hope you said thank you to Clara for the lipgloss. That was very kind of her" Kate said watching Daisy smile and nestle into the side of her mother. "She did. It was only a free one from a magazine and wasn't really my colour" Clara said, leaning on the door frame. "Come on Daisy, I said we were only coming down to get a drink and then I'd paint your nails in the kitchen. I think the adults are still having some boring conversations" Clara said with a pretend yawn, sensing that they had interrupted something. "In a minute, I just wanted to see mummy" Daisy said as she hugged Kate tightly. "Well you've seen me now sweetheart. Why don't you go with Clara? It sounds like you're having a marvelous time" Kate said, placing a kiss on Daisy's head and smelling a scent of perfume. "Is that perfume you're wearing too?" She asked, watching Daisy nod cheekily. Kate faked a sigh, but was pleased to see her enjoying herself.

Missy watched the scene intently, her heart aching when she saw how close Daisy was in age to Maisa when she died. It didn't go unnoticed by the Doctor, who rested his hand on the small of her back, rubbing his thumb gently across her jumper. Okay, Kos? He projected, feeling her send back an image of Maisa the day before she had died. Whether it was intentional or not, he didn't know, though it felt more likely to be a slip. Before the Doctor had the chance to press further, Missy began talking to Daisy. "Goodness me, poppet, don't you look precious. Just like a little dolly" she said softly, wistfully almost. The girl turned around, noticing the brunette woman for the first time. "Thank you" she said quietly, a bit nervous of the stranger. "This is Missy, Daisy. Do you remember I was telling you about her yesterday?" Kate sad, gripping hold of her daughter protectively. She couldn't help it, every instinct was telling her to keep Missy away from Daisy. "Yes" Daisy said, scanning over Missy, "the Doctor's wife" she declared. Missy gawped, eyebrows quirked. "Excuse me?" She said before the Doctor quickly sent her a mental note. She doesn't know we're not human. It was easier to tell her we were married. Missy recovered from her surprise, "yes, dear, that's me." Daisy nodded, continuing to scan Missy warily. "You don't look like you're going to have a baby" she declared after a few more seconds. Missy laughed, "why because I'm not fat yet?" Daisy also laughed, "yeah, you're really slim. My auntie had a big round belly when she had baby Louis." Missy frowned, contemplating the next few months. Replacing her smile, Missy continued her conversation. "Well, it's a mixture of clever dressing and the fact I've still got a while to go until she's born. I can assure you I'm pregnant though, I can feel her moving now. Would you like to see if you can feel?" Missy asked Daisy, as she rolled her jumper up to reveal the slight bump. Daisy turned to her mother, while Kate eyed Missy cautiously. "Can I mummy?" She asked. "I don't know, I don't want you hurting Missy by mistake" Kate replied, everyone in the room knowing she was more concerned about it being the other way around. And not an accident. Catching the worry in Kate's eyes, Missy fixed a pointed stare at the woman. "I promise, no one will be hurt" the time lady said steadily. "Please mummy" Daisy squirmed, causing Kate to relent. "Okay. Just be gentle" she said, again aimed more at Missy than Daisy. Daisy was a sensitive soul and she doubted her daughter would ever be anything but gentle. Missy on the other hand, was another matter.

The Doctor watched the interaction curiously. He was poised ready to act if Missy did do anything on a whim, but had a feeling that she wouldn't. The way she was interacting with Daisy reminded him of the way she interacted with his children back on Gallifrey when she was well. Watching as Daisy approached her, the Doctor reached out. Are you okay with this? I couldn't feel the baby the other night. Will Daisy actually be able to feel anything? He projected with a hint of jealousy. The movements are stronger today. Don't be jealous, dear, it's unbecoming. You can have a feel later when it's just the two of us, I don't want everyone touching my stomach like I'm a lucky Buddha. Anyway, her imprint is stronger now, I think you'll be able to feel that too. Missy replied, smiling at the Doctor who nodded enthusiastically.

Turning her attention back to Daisy, Missy smiled as the girl edged her way nervously towards her. "Here we go, love, give me you hand and I'll show you where she's moving" the time lady encouraged, placing Daisy's hand to the left side of her bump. Missy felt a fluttering across her abdomen and watched as Daisy's eyes widened in awe. The infant responded to the new sensation pressing against her from outside with a calm curiosity. That's a human, poppet Missy told her daughter adding, a very young human. We don't usually like humans, but we're making an exception for these ones. Be kind to her, this species can be so backwards but it's not entirely their fault. Missy felt as her daughter projected back a positive response and continued to respond to Daisy's touch. The baby kicked hard, the hardest Missy had ever felt her kick and caused her to release a sharp breath. "Oof, that was a big one" she said, looking up at Daisy who had jumped back in shock. "Did I hurt her?" She asked timidly as Missy shook her head, recovering from her own shock. "No, poppet, you didn't hurt her, she's getting more curious and active as she grows" the time lady breathed, as she felt her daughter's presence continue with it's explorations happily and straightened herself up. "Are you okay?" the Doctor asked, running a hand down her back. "Yes, that one just took me by surprise" she reassured, regaining her composure and replacing her smile. You're getting stronger everyday she projected to the baby, keen to encourage her and not scare her off. Daisy continued looking at Missy with wide eyes before breaking into a smile, "that was amazing thank you!" She exclaimed, turning back to Kate. "Mummy, I felt the baby's foot right there" she said, pointing to her palm. "You're welcome, lovey" Missy said pulling her jumper back down. That was quite enough show and tell for one day. Kate smiled at Daisy and then looked over at Missy, just to check she was okay; she still couldn't shake the image of how pitiful the time lady had looked the other night and, however much Missy tried to deny it, she was still vulnerable. "Right, come on monkey" Clara spoke up, from her perch in the doorway. "Let's go and do your nails. We're going to play cards afterwards, if anyone wants to join us?" She added, mainly to Henry who looked like an extra wheel in the room. Predictably, the young man piped up, "I'll play cards" he said, ignoring Me's rolling eyes. He'd felt awkward throughout the morning and would much rather play a game of snap than witness discussions of a birth plan. That was more alien to him than the literal aliens and immortal he interacted with on a regular basis.

Once Clara, Daisy and Henry had left, Kate smiled at Missy. "I think you made her year. Thank you for that" the UNIT boss said, watching Missy nod as she sunk back into the cushions. She looked tired again, Kate remembered this stage of pregnancy all too well and it was exhausting work. "Once the morning sickness passes in a few weeks, you won't feel as tired" she said sympathetically, leaving off that that would only be temporary and soon replaced by a new level of discomfort when she approached the final stages. Missy nodded, not really paying any mind to what the blonde was saying. Me coughed, keen to discuss what they needed to, she'd always been more serious and this was no exception. "Right, now all that's over, are we going to discuss what we came here to? It's nearly midday and we haven't done anything productive" the woman said, trying to hide the annoyance in her voice. Missy smirked, "Ooh doesn't she sound like Ushas when we had to work on that group science project, Thete?" The Doctor laughed, nodding his head in agreement. "But, you are right dear, let's get down to business."

Kate pulled out a folder from her handbag and passed it over to Missy. The Doctor watched, wondering if the woman had a folder for every aspect of her life. "Dr Chang had this prepared for you after your check up. It has some of his observations about the health of you and the baby as well as the baby's development" Kate said, watching Missy flick through the pages as the Doctor watched over her shoulder. "What's this date here? It says I have another appointment at that UNIT hospital in a few weeks time" Missy questioned, looking from Kate to the Doctor. The Doctor gulped, he knew he hadn't mentioned the other appointments yet and knew it wouldn't go down well. "I've already had my appointment" Missy said when she received no response. The Doctor shook his head. "You need to have regular check ups sweetheart. It's to keep an eye on you and the baby" he explained, watching Missy pale, he reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers. Missy felt like she'd been winded. One check up was bad enough but having to go through that for the next few months would be hell. "But... but the other pregnancies I had, I never had check ups" Missy countered, regaining her composure. "You did, Missy" Me said, "You were always out of it when they did it but you had regular check ups. That was how they discovered the failed pregnancies and induced labour" she added, more softly. Missy's brows furrowed, she remembered none of that, but apparently it had happened. "Come on, love, it wasn't that bad the other day was it? I'll go with you to every one of these appointments and you'll know well in advance when each one will be" the Doctor soothed watching Missy start to panic. Missy took a deep breath, regaining control. She'd been doing well today and wasn't going to fall at this hurdle. In fact, going to the UNIT hospital could aid her revenge on Gordon. "Okay, okay. It just took me by surprise" Missy replied honestly as she righted herself. The Doctor squeezed her hand. "That's okay" Kate said, "now there are a few reasons we wanted to discuss the birth plan with you as early as possible" she paused, checking Missy was listening. "Yes and what are those reasons?" The time lady questioned when she heard Kate pause. There was an iciness to her voice that she hadn't intended "We know this has been difficult for you. Pregnancy is difficult for many women without all the added stress of what has happened to you. Plus, the fact that you have no contextual knowledge of human pregnancy only adds stress to the situation. We wanted to start planning as early as possible so you have as much time to get used to the idea and gain an understanding of what is happening" Kate explained matter of factly. Missy nodded as the UNIT boss continued. "Also, given the differences between time lord and human physiology, we wanted to have time to prepare pain relief that will be safe for you to use. We were hoping that you or the Doctor would be able to assist with that, letting us know which drugs are compatible with time lords etc. To that end, we wanted to go over what pain relief is typically available to you during childbirth as well as how labour is likely to progress" Kate finished, looking at the two time lords. Both looked confused as the Doctor looked at Missy concernedly. "Did you understand that sweetheart? You know you can ask questions at anytime" he reassured, knowing that she hadn't been allowed to ask questions in the past.

"I didn't get pain relief last time, when I was in the cells" Missy muttered eventually looking at only the Doctor, who nodded. "I know" he said, "it really hurt. No one told me what was happening or what to do. I thought I was going to die" Missy confessed, remembering in greater detail everything that had happened during the other births. "Do I really have to do this? Can't you just take it away now?" Missy pleaded, feeling a tinge of guilt at wanting to be rid of the daughter she was starting to bond with. The Doctor furrowed his brows and shook his head. He'd hoped they were past this stage.

Me watched the interaction and approached the pair, "I know you had horrible experiences before but it won't be the same this time. We're discussing this now so that we can make the process as comfortable as possible for you. I won't lie, no matter what we give you, it's still going to hurt" Me cringed, recalling the births of her children. Any woman that says she forget all the pain as soon as their little bundle of joy is with them is a liar. Still, at least 21st century medicine was better equipped than the 16th century. "But, we will be able to make you more comfortable and help you as much as possible. The Doctor will be with you and you'll be somewhere you feel safe and there will be someone guiding you and supporting you every step of the way." Me reassured and the Doctor nodded in agreement. Missy squinted her eyes. "Will I have to go to hospital?" She asked, fearing the answer. Kate drew in a breath. "Strictly speaking, that is up to you. However, if you want to have some of the stronger medication like an epidural you'll have to be in some form of hospital. Also, it would be better if you were in a hospital should any complications arise and you need a caesarean or anything else" Kate explained as Me took over. "You need to also remember that tracking device the time lords have planted in your mind. That's going to activate fully as you approach your due date. It'll be easier for them to get to you if you're not in a secure hospital and then you'll have to have the baby on Gallifrey. They're the two real choices, Missy, have the baby at UNIT hospital with the Doctor to support you or on Gallifrey with no support where the baby will be taken from you straight away and start a life of training to become a weapon" Me said, slightly harsher than she or anyone else was expecting. The Doctor watched Missy's face contort and glared at Me. "That's enough, Me" he hissed. "I'll have to go to a hospital then" Missy said softly, colour returning to her face. "But you said I'd feel comfortable, how can I feel comfortable in a hospital?" She asked the Doctor. "Well, that's another reason to have this conversation early. We were thinking you could have the check ups in the same room that'll you'll use for the birth and that way you'll know the area and hopefully feel a bit more comfortable" Kate said. The Doctor listened and watched Missy as Kate was talking. There was a lot for Missy to try and take in and after the last few days she wasn't sure if she was ready. She certainly seemed better, but that didn't mean she wouldn't grow unsettled again. The time lady had grown rigid and was tapping the side of her leg in a pattern of four. He knew that provided her with comfort but didn't want her to take it too far. "Can we just hit pause for a minute?" he declared, looking at Kate who looked set to continue as she paused mouth half open. "Missy, are you okay?" He asked watching the time lady nod. "It's a lot to take in. I'm trying to remember it all. They have to make a drug compatible with time lords, I'll have check ups in a hospital, that device, Gallifrey" Missy listed. "I'm not trying to be difficult. It's hard to remember and focus. I did have that medication this morning, maybe it's that" Missy stated, scrambling for an excuse for her inability to keep up. The Doctor nodded, though he knew any effects of the medication would have worn off by now. "Let's take a quick break. Why don't you go and get some water and join us again when you're ready?" He suggested as Missy nodded, heading out of the lounge. Once the time lady was gone, the Doctor turned his attention back to the two humans. "Can we just slow it down a bit? I know she seems more like herself but just yesterday she was so paralysed by fear she couldn't move from the window to the sofa" he stated, running a hand over his face. "Do we really need to discuss anymore today?" He asked, thinking it was best to stop this conversation now. "I mean, I can come to UNIT next week and try and find a suitable pain relief for her. Other than that, I don't see any reason to push her too far today" he argued, knowing he wasn't going to allow this conversation to continue. "I'd like to go over what is going to happen when labour starts" Kate said, "you heard how confused she was and she said no one had explained it to her. It's better for her to go over it now, than have it explained when it's happening and she's in pain." The Doctor, nodded "I understand that but I really think this is too much pressure for her to have us all here explaining things to her like she's a child and then expecting her to take it in. Tell me what I should explain to her and I'll do it when it's just the two of us and I know she is receptive and comfortable. I told you at the start of this, Kate, my priority is Missy and it'll stay that way." Kate relented, nodding and proceeding to tell the Doctor what she thought would be best to explain to the time lady. When Kate finished, Me piped up. "Doctor, I still want to talk to you about the correspondence I've been having with the time lords and some other things." The Doctor nodded, he had a suspicion he knew what those 'other things' were. "I know, but Missy doesn't need to be here for any of that. Let's take a walk to that bakery on the high street. Just me and you. We can get some cakes for after lunch and have a chat on the way" he suggested. For one thing, he wanted to be completely out of Missy's earshot when they spoke about the time lords. For another, he really wanted a sticky bun.

The Doctor walked into the kitchen finding Missy sat playing cards with the three humans. She looked better than she had in the lounge and he was glad he'd made the decision to end the conversation. Daisy was sat on Missy's lap, looking at her hand of cards intently, looking up at the Doctor when he walked in. "We're on a team" Daisy exclaimed pointing between her and Missy. "And we're winning" she said proudly. The Doctor raised his eyebrows, "A team, eh? That's a first for one of you" he laughed, as Daisy shook her head. "Na huh. I always have to work in teams at school" she protested. "How dreadful for you" Missy drawled, presenting her four aces to the other players with a cheshire cat grin on her face. "Wait, that's impossible" Henry cried, having lost for the third time in a row. "I have an ace here. How do you have four?" "Ways and means, old chap" Missy soothed mockingly, "now pass over the biscuits" she directed, pointing at the chocolate biscuits that were being used as poker chips and passing them to Daisy. Kate would be mad when she realised how much sugar her daughter has consumed, the Doctor thought, chuckling lightly at the scene. "Oh no, Daisy, I know exactly who working in a team is new for, don't you worry. Also, I think the word you're looking for is cheating not winning" he said, watching Missy smirk at him. "I'm just deploying strategic methods, dear" she said innocently. "Strategic methods?" Daisy questioned, looking back at Missy. "Yes, poppet, I'll teach you about them later." The Doctor rolled his eyes, although recognised that there were worst things that she could teach her. Remembering what he came into the kitchen for in the first place, he picked up his rain coat announcing "Me and I are going to the bakery for some cakes." Shrugging on the rain coat as he looked out at the light drizzle, he added "make your requests now, because I'm not going back out in that" he pointed to the window. Henry and Clara requested a chelsea bun while Daisy asked very nicely for the biggest eclair he could find. "And what does the poker champion want?" He addressed Missy, noting her lack of response. The time lady shrugged, "I'm not really hungry" she said, "plus I've eaten a lot of my winnings." Clara shook her head, "no you haven't. All of the biscuits were eaten by Daisy" the human said aloud, more as a way of letting the Doctor know that Missy hadn't eaten anything. The Doctor sighed. "Are you feeling sick again, love?" He asked and Missy shook her head. "I'm not, honestly, I'm just really not hungry" the time lady sighed, although she was feeling slightly queasy. Daisy turned around to face Missy. "But Missy, you need to eat for the baby's sake" the little girl said innocently. If it had been anyone else, Missy would have snapped at them but Daisy said it so sweetly the time lady couldn't help but relent. "I know, lovey" she said patting down Daisy's baby hair that had broken free from the pigtails. "Would you like to share my eclair?" The girl asked with wide eyes. "Now that's kind of you, dear, but I couldn't possibly take half of your cake" Missy said. "I'll have an eclair like Daisy" the time lady said to the Doctor, "I'm taking your recommendation on this. It better be good" Missy said to Daisy, bopping her nose gently. Daisy looked up at her seriously, "don't worry, it will be." The Doctor smiled at the scene, maybe Daisy should stay around more. "Good, we'll be back soon."

The afternoon was turning out as miserable as the morning weather wise and the Doctor and Me had had to jump out of the way of innumerable splashing puddles as they trudged along the street on their way to the bakery. "I've had regular contact with Alsaz, the head scientist on Rassilon's project. I bought the letters and plans she sent through with me so you can have a look in your own time. The plans are pretty detailed and involve instructions about the tracking device. It might be useful to help us disable it" Me said and the Doctor listened intently. "I see, well thank you. That'll be useful" he said genuinely, stepping to the side and two nursery aged children scooted past, their mother walking a dog behind them and trying to catch up to their pace. "Was that all you wanted to talk about?" He asked, watching Me shake her head under her hood. Even though she'd been waiting for this discussion for months, she still didn't know how to broach the subject. The Doctor had long suspected that Me wanted to adopt Missy's baby. It made practical sense; her and Henry were eternal and would be the only other people that would live as long as the child. Me would get to be a mother again and wouldn't have to endure losing another child. It would certainly be easier to keep the child away from the time lords if they were brought up on Earth in a settled environment. However, while it was simple in theory whether it would it work in practice was unknown. Missy might not want the child now, but she was starting to bond with her. Who's to say that the month that Missy has to care for the child, wouldn't lead to her wanting to keep the baby. Above all else, this was Missy's choice, no one else's. "What's going to happen to the baby when it's born?" Me asked, finally breaking the silence. The Doctor looked over at Me and saw the desperation in her eyes. "Well, for the first month at least, it'll need to be cared for by Missy. Womb born time tots need direct care from their biological mothers in order to catch up with loomlings" the Doctor said, again worrying how Missy was going to cope with that month. Especially with her moods proving so erratic. "I see" Me said quietly. She hadn't realised that. "After that though, I don't know whether Missy will want to keep the baby. At the moment, she doesn't but after a month of caring and bonding with the child, that could change. If she does decide to keep the baby, her lifestyle will need to change. A lot. To be honest, I don't know if she's capable of that kind of change after all these centuries" the Doctor sighed. "So the baby will be adopted?" Me questioned quickly. The Doctor nodded, "yes. Me, I think you and Henry would give this baby an excellent home and I think the situation would work well. You were a wonderful mother to your babies, I watched you with them a few times" the Doctor praised, letting Me know he knew what she wanted to suggest. "That's weird, you know, watching a person without them knowing" Me said jokingly. She tried not to get her hopes up about the child but this did look like it was going her way. "You know that ultimately it has to be Missy's decision, though, don't you?" The Doctor checked, knowing that no matter how much Missy might deny it, giving up her baby was going to be tough. Me nodded. The pair walked the rest of the way in silence.


	29. Chapter Twenty-nine

Yimin had barely made it through the door when he was met with the sight of Koschei and Maisa's packed suitcases. It was early morning and he was surprised to see either his wife or daughter awake. For a brief moment, he wondered if Koschei was leaving him. It was fleeting when he remembered there wasn't a high council official on Gallifrey that would allow Koschei to maintain full custody of Maisa. Red sand and dust scattered in his hair and along his linen shirt, lasting evidence of the most recent sand storm that characterised the end of Gallifreyan summer time. For the last week, the time lord had been staying in the Capitol having regular meetings with the War Committee. War was drawing closer, on some planets, Gallifreyan troops had already been deployed. The Committee had estimated that fighting would start on planet in a matter of years, if not months. Yimin looked at his young daughter's innocent face regretfully. What would her future be? He dreaded to think. "We're going to visit uncle Theta, papa" Maisa said happily, unaware of he father's inner turmoil, causing Koschei to look away from her checklist and meet the eyes of her husband. The time lady was pleased she had cleared away her folders from day before; Yimin was unaware of her work with the arms manufacturers and as a contract killer. Since leaving the hospital turned prison all those years ago, Koschei had developed an insatiable thirst for blood. In the first months of Maisa's life, she had been able to contain it, naively believing that her beloved daughter was enough to stop the drums and the voices and the need for violence. As Maisa grew from a baby into a toddler, Koschei realised her need for such things couldn't be suppressed. It wasn't that she loved her daughter any less, it was just that she needed to feel the rush and control of a fresh kill.

"Visiting uncle Theta, eh? Even after papa's been away with work for so long" Yimin said as he picked Maisa up and planted a kiss on her cheek. Maisa looked upset for a second before breaking into another smile, "don't worry, papa, we'll be back soon. Then we can all be together. Me, you and mama." Yimin smiled at his daughter. "I guess, but sometimes I think mama would be happier if it was just you, her and uncle Theta" the time lord said bitterly. Yimin was mild mannered and the bitterness in his voice didn't suit him. Koschei rolled her eyes at his comment as she pulled her hair out of its braid and combed her fingers through it. Yimin scowled. She only ever wore her hair down for Theta. It suited her, chocolate brown curls that bounced on her shoulders and framed her face. Maisa looked between her two parents, sensing an uneasy atmosphere and not entirely sure what was happening. "Down please papa" she requested, smiling when her father placed her on the floor by her toys. "Okay sweetie pie. Mama and I will just be next door. Why don't you choose the toys you're going to take to show uncle Theta?" Yimin said, resigning himself to the fact that there was no stopping his wife from travelling to see her oldest friend, as he directed Koschei to the conservatory. The time lady exhaled a deep breath and followed him into the next room. She wanted to get going. The journey was going to take all day as it was. Why did everything have to be such a drama with him?

"I suppose you know that Theta has been let go from the academy" Yimin said monotonously, turned away from Koschei as she stood in the doorway, keeping half an eye on Maisa. "He was spouting his hippy nonsense again. Those views aren't welcome in the establishments, especially at times like this." Koschei turned away from Maisa, staring at her husband's back. "I know about his dismissal, yes" she said, ignoring his disapproval. She disapproved with Theta's opinions herself, but did respect his individuality. At least he hadn't turned in the typical time lord clone that the leaders wanted them all to become. Yimin was fast becoming one of them. "Cilinzia wrote to me. Apparently, Theta is in a bad way and needs cheering up. You know how he gets and he is my friend, I owe him this much." Yimin scoffed, turning to face her. "Cilinzia?" He said indignantly, "She can't stand you!" Koschei glared at him, quickly looking over her shoulder to check Maisa was still settled and couldn't sense the brewing argument between her parents. "She has her reasons and she cares for Theta. That's all that matters" the time lady snarled, annoyed that her husband had voiced her anxieties over seeing Cilinzia again after all these years. Yimin rolled his eyes, jealously pooling in the pit of his stomach. Everyone cares about Theta, he thought to himself as he turned his attention back to Koschei. "As for Theta being a friend of yours, what kind of a friend would have abandoned you in that hospital, hmm? Leaving you there for years like an unwanted stray." Koschei's nostrils flared and Yimin regretted his words instantly. He shrunk away from his wife as she grabbed a vase from the table and flung it at him, narrowly avoiding his head as it shattered into pieces against the door. It was a warning shot. If she had wanted it to hit, it would have hit and they both knew that. Yimin wanted to meet her anger with a burst of his own but knew he couldn't. The only reason that this marriage of convenience worked was because Yimin was so restrained. Anger and violence didn't come naturally to him. Instead of reacting to Koschei, he looked over to see Maisa startled and peering into the room at her parents. Her eyes were wide with concern, tears threatening to fall. "It's okay, darling, mama just dropped the vase and it broke" he reassured, she looked unconvinced. It was getting harder and harder to hide her mother's temperament from the toddler. "Will you go and finish choosing your toys? I want to see which ones you've picked in about ten minutes" Yimin said. Maisa didn't budge instead watching her mother's tense shoulders rise and fall. "Mama okay?" the toddler questioned, voice full of worry for her silent mother. "Mama's fine, darling" Yimin responded, willing his daughter to return to the lounge. She didn't. "Mama?" Maisa pressed. Yimin looked over at Koschei, who was taking steadying breaths and deplored her to answer her daughter. Koschei nodded at her husband. "Mama's fine, little pea" she breathed through gritted teeth. "Clumsy mama dropped the vase. Never mind, accidents happen" she continued, still facing away from Maisa for fear her daughter would see her face red with anger and her clenched fists. Maisa watched her mother's back curiously. "Do as papa says and get your toys, we'll be with you in a minute" Koschei added, slightly calmer, when she didn't hear her daughter retreating. "Okay" Maisa backed down eventually, turning back into the room.

Yimin looked at his wife. He wanted to shout at her, to tell her that she needed to reign in her anger for the sake of Maisa. What would happen if Maisa said something she didn't like? He didn't say any of that,of course, and instead settled for claiming accountability the way he always did. "That was low of me. I'm sorry' he rushed an apology. "Damn right it was low" Koschei said jabbing her finger at his chest as she approached him. "You know he didn't abandon me, the government you work for took over control of that place" Koschei said harshly. "You have some guts bringing that up" the time lady seethed, remembering how long it had taken to trust Theta again and believe it wasn't his fault. Yimin looked at his feet like a scolded child. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." Koschei snarled at him. He was pitiful. "I should think so too. And stop thinking so loudly. I have ways of controlling my anger and would never hurt Maisa." Yimin gulped and nodded.

"How long will you and Maisa be gone?" Yimin asked eventually as his wife went to head back into the lounge. He'd been hoping to be able to spend time with his wife and daughter while he was home. Their marriage was nothing more than one of convenience but that didn't mean they didn't share a mutual fondness for each other. Plus, Maisa was growing so quickly these days. He didn't want to miss anymore of her milestones than he had to. "As long as I like" Koschei said firmly, still reeling from his earlier outburst. "I see" Yimin sighed. Koschei softened at the defeat in his voice. She knew the horrible things he was dealing with at work. "I'll be there as long as Theta needs me" she said calmly, voice softer than earlier, as she walked towards the time lord. "Does Maisa have to go with you?" He asked, reaching down for her hand as she placed it over his hearts. Koschei laughed lightly. "Darling, our daughter loves you dearly but she won't settle at night without me. It's nothing personal, she's just more used to having me around" Koschei said delicately. Maisa wouldn't settle, it was true, but Koschei also couldn't be separated from her daughter for more than a few hours. That was the way it went; where Koschei went, Maisa went and vice versa. "I know" Yimin said, "just don't be too long. I'd like to spend some time with our daughter before I have to go back to work" he added. Koschei nodded, stretching up and placing a kiss on his cheek. "I'll make sure you get to spend some time with little pea" she promised, "but we're going to head off now. I want to be there by sundown."

Koschei readjusted the cotton sling that was hanging over her shoulder and loosely tied at her back. Maisa was bundled up inside, fast asleep, and snuggling against her mother. The weight of the toddler was heavy and Koschei realised that the pair would soon have to find a new way of travelling. Maisa had been excited during the early part of the journey, treating it as an adventure and looking forward to seeing her uncle Theta. During the shuttle journey in early evening, however, the time tot had grown tired and started to fuss leading to a full blown meltdown on a crowded carriage. That was much to the dismay of the high society Gallifreyans, who tutted loudly to express their disapproval at seeing such a young child out at that time. Koschei ignored them, focusing instead on settling Maisa and staying out of sight of the two agents she'd spotted halfway down the carriage. Following a bottle of milk and a few lullabies, Maisa had fallen into a deep sleep. Pulling the blanket tighter around the toddler's frame, Koschei turned onto Theta's street, noting that his new neighbourhood was far more upmarket than the last one. She guessed the move came when he had received his post at the Academy. Reaching the front door, the time lady smiled down at her daughter before quickly rapping on the wooden door and hearing Cilinzia's approaching footsteps.

"Koschei" Cilinzia greeted the other time lady as she opened the door. Her voice was devoid of the kindness that had been there when they last saw eachother. Instead, it was restrained and hid the anger that was bubbling under the surface. Koschei couldn't bring herself to look at Cilinzia and instead fussed over Maisa's blanket and soother toy, only nodding to acknowledge Theta's wife. She had no intention of feeling guilty, Cilinzia may not approve of her actions and lifestyle but that was who she was now. Guilt was Theta's thing. Not hers. "I wasn't expecting you to come so soon. I only sent the message yesterday. It's a long journey for the little one" the time lady stated, watching Koschei's eyes flicker up indignantly and lingering on her face. Koschei tried hard to hide her surprise at Cilinzia's new regeneration; she'd forgotten that the time lady had regenerated following an accident at work until she saw her darkened skin and shorter hair. Cilinzia's gaze lowered to the sight of Maisa, cuddled up to Koschei as her little hand gripped to her mother's shirt collar. "Her name's Maisa" Koschei said quickly retracting her eyes from Cilinzia's new face and returning to look at the time tot sleeping soundly. She hated it when Maisa wasn't referred to by her name. "That suits her. She's a lovely little thing" Cilinzia praised and it was the first time the time lady's voice hadn't sounded strained. Koschei coughed and nodded. "Can we come in? She's getting cold and I don't want her waking up" she said hovering awkwardly on the door step and growing aware of the cool evening breeze. Cilinzia nodded and opened the door further, beckoning for Koschei to follow after her.

The pair walked to the living room in silence, Koschei gripping hold of Maisa tightly while Cilinzia walked several steps ahead. One room in particular caught Koschei's attention. She could have sworn she sensed a loom in use but that was ludicrous. Theta and Cilinzia had raised their three children. Theta always said they would have no more, especially with the war approaching. Unless...Unza would certainly be old enough to be starting a family of his own by now. But why was the loom here and not with him in the capitol. Cilinzia picked up on where Koschei was looking and coughed. "There's a saying, according to Theta, from this planet that he's become rather obsessed with of late. It says, curiosity killed the cat. Quite a wise piece of advice, I'd say." Cilinzia said cooly, not looking back at Koschei. Koschei took the hint and returned her attention to Maisa. When they reached their stuffy, carpeted destination, Koschei remained hovering in the doorway unsure whether or not she was welcome. Her reception had certainly been hostile and the air remained thick with tension. Both her arms were growing numb from the weight of Maisa and their suitcases. Still, she remained standing. She'd hoped Cilinzia would have just shown her to Theta and left the pair to it. That's what had always happened in the past. "Sit down then" Cilinzia snapped, growing impatient with the time lady's hovering. Calling Koschei over to help had been her last resort and the reality of having to deal with Theta's best friend was as difficult as she'd imagined. It was strange seeing a time lady she used to consider a friend so many years ago. She used to feel sorry for Koschei but now she resented, and worse still, feared her. She knew the circles that the time lady worked in. She knew that she'd started killing for fun. She knew her list of victims was growing in numbers each year. However, she was the only one who could help Theta. Her husband had been in an awful way leading up to the dismissal and had stopped functioning since. Cilinzia hadn't been able to get him out of his bed, or make him eat anything. The children had even visited from their respective jobs to try and stir their father. None of it had worked. Koschei was her final option.

"Would you like a drink?" Cilinzia offered, forcing the calm to return to her voice. Opening up her drinks cabinet, she poured herself a glass of brandy. Koschei shook her head, feeling Maisa move in her arms and open her eyes blearily. "Mama" the toddler said sleepily, suddenly aware of her unfamiliar surroundings. "Shh, shh little pea. Go back to sleep, it's still nighttime" Koschei soothed, tracing her fingers across Maisa's forehead, sending the thought sleep to the forefront of her mind, smiling as she returned to her slumber. Cilinzia watched the exchange nostalgically. It didn't seem that long ago that her children were that age. Now, all three were working and Unza was even starting a family of his own. The time lady tried not to worry about the future her yet to be loomed grandchild and focused on the problem at hand. "It's not all alcoholic, I have some fruit juice in this mini fridge" Cilinzia said quietly, once she was sure Maisa had re-settled. "I'm fine. Not thirsty, thank you though" Koschei said, unwrapping Maisa from the sling and re-positioning her in her lap. Cilinzia nodded and took a seat opposite her. "Where's Theta?" Koschei asked eventually, growing more impatient with the facade the longer it dragged out. "He's in his room, I'll take you there in a minute. Let me just finish my drink" Cilinzia replied as she casually checked over Koschei, making sure she wasn't going to hurt Theta in anyway. It wouldn't be the first time that had happened. More and more, when Theta returned from attempting to calm Koschei down, he was covered in bruises and wounds. Cilinzia had told him on more than one occasion that enough was enough. But he always said that she couldn't help it and he was rather it was him that got hurt than Maisa. Watching the way Koschei interacted with Maisa, she found it hard to imagine the time lady would be capable of hurting the toddler. Deciding Koschei was no risk to her husband, Cilinzia finished her drink. "You're doing an excellent job with her, Koschei. She's beautiful and clearly adores you" the time lady praised, shocked at her own words and how genuine they were. She wouldn't have thought Koschei could ever be a good mother. Koschei looked up, surprised at the compliment. She'd never expected it from Cilinzia. "Does Yimin help out a lot? When he's not at work, I mean. It's tiring work when they're this age. It can be intense" Koschei nodded, a little crushed by the add on. Cilinzia's words echoed Theta's on the first day he'd come to meet Maisa and it was clear what she meant by them. Cilinzia may as well have said"there should be a more responsible parent to care for her when you're having mad moments. We know how things can get on top of you." Koschei straightened her back. "Yimin dotes on her when he's around. She's definitely a mummy's girl though" she said quickly, making sure Cilinzia was aware of her capabilities as a mother. "Anyway, I'm a lot more in control now than I ever was before" Koschei added, watching Cilinzia nod. "I can see that. You're a good mother Koschei" she reassured, regretting asking after Yimin.

"Are your three still in the Capitol?" Koschei said eventually, looking at the photos that lined the cabinet. She felt like she'd been handed an olive branch by Cilinzia and planned on using it. She still cared deeply for all three of Theta's children. "Don't talk about my children, Koschei. I'm never going to be comfortable with you talking about them." The response was final, but still Koschei persisted. "I never meant for Unza to get hurt. I didn't mean for any of that weekend to happen." Cilinzia sucked in her breath. "I'm not doing this Koschei" she said firmly, shaking her head. Koschei persisted some more. "I'm sorry, if I could change what had happened, I would. I never meant to do tha-"

"Enough" Cilinzia barked, causing Maisa to stir with a slight cry. Silence hang heavy in the air between the two time ladies as the toddler was quickly soothed on her mother's knee and returned to sleep. Cilinzia continued, slightly quieter this time. "You're never going to understand it, are you? It was never that weekend that caused me to hate you. Yes, Unza got hurt and yes, you shouldn't have hit him like that. But, I knew that you weren't well. I knew that you needed help and it wasn't your fault. I was angry, of course I was, he was my little boy, but that anger faded to concern. Do you even remember me coming to visit you in the hospital with Theta? I told you time and time again that I forgave you and I wanted you to get better and explained that I had to put my children's safety first. You were my friend and I wanted you to get better. I still believed you would get better." Cilinzia finished, her cheeks flushed with anger. Koschei flinched and shook her head. She never knew Cilinzia had been to visit her. She didn't remember anything about the hospital before it was taken over by the government and she didn't like to spend too much time thinking about it. "I don't remember much about my time there" she said quietly, stroking Maisa's hair for comfort. "Of course you don't" Cilinzia replied. Her tone wasn't cold but it didn't have the kindness of Theta's concern. It was just resigned. "Well, I do remember those times. I also remember when you first came out of there and when you first put someone in hospital and when you first killed a whole family. What's it going to be next? A whole village, a whole planet, a whole galaxy? You see, it was never your outburst that weekend that made me hate you. It was everything you've done since. I realised a few decades ago that you were beyond saving. You already have so much blood on your hands and with this war brewing I dread to think what is going to happen to you. Theta still thinks you can be saved, I'm afraid I gave up on that notion years ago." Cilinzia's words struck Koschei like a knife. The words were mean but they weren't untrue. It was her fears vocalised. One day, she was going to go too far. "I'm here to see Theta, show me to his room" Koschei said cooly, rising from her seat and holding Maisa to her chest. Cilinzia could see her words had hurt the other time lady but didn't regret saying them. She had warned Koschei to drop the subject. Cilinzia mirrored Koschei's actions, only hold out her open arms. "At least let me take Maisa, I can set up her cot in the spare room and keep an eye on her" she suggested, watching Koschei hold the toddler tighter. "No. She stays with me" she responded, lifting her bags. "Theta's in a bad way. She might be a bit shocked to see him like that and I don't know how he'll respond to seeing her. I think it'll be better for her to stay with me" Cilinzia tried again, stretching her arms out further. "No. I'll set up her cot and she should sleep through now. If she wakes up in a strange place with a strange woman she'll never settle. Anyway, it's not Thete you have to worry about. I'm the monster after all."

Cilinzia had eventually backed down and led Koschei upstairs to Theta. In the middle of the darkened room, Theta was lying in his bed unmoving. He was definitely awake, Koschei could tell that much, but he was unable or unwilling to acknowledge her presence. Walking into the adjoining office and setting up the travel cot, Koschei took a few seconds to ensure that Maisa was settled before pulling the door shut and joining Theta. "Well, well, well this just won't do my dear" she said softly shrugging off her jacket and crawling across the mattress. Theta felt the mattress dip and turned away from Koschei. He didn't want her here, he didn't want her to see him like this. "Now, that really is childish, Thete. I've come a long way to see you. Aren't you going to tell me what's bugging you?" She cooed, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him to face her. As he faced her, she took in his drawn in features and sighed. He crumbled, scrunching up his face and burying it against her shoulder. Koschei ran fingers through his hair and rubbed small circles in his back. She felt his tears wet her shirt as he let out what felt like a week's pent up upset. "Shh, shh, shh" she soothed, "let it all out, my love, let it all out" she finished, pecking him on his forehead. After several seconds, Theta pulled away from Koschei's embrace and blinked furiously. "I'm sorry" he said embarrassedly, rubbing his palm harshly along his damp cheeks. Koschei tsked, "don't be ridiculous. You've got nothing to be sorry for" she said, reaching for his hand and taking it in hers. "Although, I hope you realise that's not it. You can't soak my shirt and then apologise and pretend all is well again. The mind's a dangerous place, darling, and you're clearly in a bad way. I'm not going anywhere until I know you're better. Now, I hear you've been in bed all week. That's no good, dear. No good at all. I say we start by getting you up and having a chat. What do you say?" She suggested as she turned on the lamp. Theta looked at her, squinting at the oppressive light that filled the room. "It's the middle of the night, Kos" he said, voice croaking. Koschei raised her eyebrows, "and you've been in bed for five days straight. You smell, darling" she said, pulling back the sheets despite his protestations. "Look at me" she directed, looking intently into his eyes, "no you don't currently look like a suicide risk. Right, go on, have a shower and I'll change the bed. I saw the clean sheets in the drawers in the office when I put Maisa there. Theta looked up at her confused by almost everything she had said, jumping up as the sheet was literally pulled from under him. "It's the middle of the night. Can't this wait until the morning" he tried again, suddenly feeling exposed now he was away from them safety of his bed. "Theta, you haven't left that bed for five days. Time means nothing when you're in this state, take it from me. Now go and have a shower. The bed will be nice and fresh when you get back and I'll have some tea ready for you. Chop, chop" Koschei said, shooing him out of the room. "I'm going" he muttered, collecting a towel from the drawer on his way out. "Did you say Maisa was here?" He asked hopefully when he got to the doorway. Koschei smiled and nodded. "She's fast asleep at the moment but you'll see her in the morning. She's very excited to see you" Koschei said, shedding the bed of its covers and growing relieved at Theta's lightening mood. The time lord stood in the doorway nodding and for the first time in a while growing excited for the next day. He hadn't seen Maisa for months and couldn't wait to spend some time with her. With everything that had happened recently, it would be nice to spend some time around an innocent. "Go and have a shower, dear. When you get back we're having that chat."

Theta returned from the bathroom after half an hour, feeling admittedly refreshed. On his walk back, he found himself wondering if he'd imagined Koschei's arrival. Had she been some kind of hallucination brought on by his depressed haze. Surely not. Peering into his room, he found Koschei sat in the middle of his newly-made bed surrounded by a tray of drinks and snacks. "Aha, the wanderer returns" Koschei whispered with a warm smile. Theta blinked and nodded, unbelievably relieved to see her. "I always return" he mumbled as he pulled on some fresh pyjamas and discarded of his towel. "I should think so too. Now, come on, have a sandwich, you're withering away" She said, holding out a plate and watching Theta eye it cautiously. "Don't worry, I didn't make them, they were left in the fridge by Cilinzia" Koschei explained, edging it further towards him and growing frustrated with his reluctance. "So help me, Theta, if you don't take a sandwich, I will force one down you" she said playfully but with enough firmness to her voice for Theta to know he had no option but to take one. He picked the smallest triangle closest to the edge of the plate. Koschei smiled triumphantly and patted the mattress. "Good boy. Now come and sit down" she guided, picking up a sandwich for herself and taking a bite out of the corner.

Light was starting to shine through the window when Theta looked over Koschei's shoulder and out across the landscape. Koschei shuffled on the bed, aware that on this occasion time was against them. Maisa would be waking soon wanting breakfast and demanding attention. Attuning her mind to Maisa's imprint, she projected calm, peaceful images to her daughter in the hope that she would remain asleep for just a bit longer. Theta had only just started to properly open up to her and she didn't want to put him off or become distracted. Returning her attention to Theta, she smiled encouragingly at him to continue. "I just want people to be safe and people to be happy" he sighed, Koschei nodded. "I know you do. You care about too many people. It's not your job, Theta, you're not responsible for the Universe" she said, running her thumb along the back of his hand. "This war is going to be big. It's going to devastate whole planets and it's my fault. I should have tried harder to stop it" he said, feeling the despair creeping back in. They'd been going in these circles all night, just talking through everything that had bothered him and caused him to breakdown. His dismissal, the impending war, his fears for his children and students. This was the fifteenth time they'd explored this avenue of anxiety in about three hours. Koschei didn't mind. She knew what it was like to get a thought stuck in your head and for it never to leave. "Thete. It's not your fault. This war is going to happen regardless of your action or inaction. It's going to be terrible and people are going to die" she said bluntly. "But none of that, my darling, is going to be your fault." Theta nodded, dropping his head to her shoulder with a defeated whine. "The Universe is a horrible place, Kos" he sighed against her. "I know" she whispered against his ear. Her breath was warm and tickled the shell of his ear. "But it's also an amazing place. Never forget that, Thete. The wonder, the curiosity that's what makes you who you are."

Later, Theta wouldn't be able to recall what made him kiss Koschei. It could have been the time lady's kind words. It could have been the fact that they hadn't slept with each other in over three years. It could have been that he really needed the physical contact. It was probably a combination of all three. All he did know was that as soon as Koschei's last words tickled his ear, he had turned and planted his lips against hers urgently. Her lips were dry from travelling across the villages in the summer heat. She'd come all this way to see him, he thought, fully appreciating her efforts for the first time. It made him deepen the kiss, moaning into her mouth as she reciprocated his pursuit. You came all this way for me he projected into her mind, treading carefully into her thoughts. He always had to be so careful with her mind. It was still recovering. Of course I did. I'll always be there for you. I'd follow you to the end of the Universe she projected back, pulling away from his lips. She felt tired from the sudden mental contact and knew not to push herself further. "We're not sleeping together, though, not now, not while your like this" Koschei said vocally, watching Theta nod. She was right, he was an emotional roller-coaster at the moment. "I've missed you" he said, not quite ready to leave her embrace or the familiar cloud of her thoughts that enveloped him comfortingly. "Likewise" Koschei smiled, laying then both down and enticing them both into a deep sleep.

It was a deep, blissful sleep lasting all of fifteen minutes for Koschei. As soon as the first bird began singing their morning song, Maisa was calling out. The toddler's confused cry pierced through Koschei mentally and physically as she jolted awake. Wiping her hair from her face, the time lady jumped out of bed and headed for the study. She was surprised at herself for falling to sleep, even briefly, but guessed the travelling had taken it out of her. Opening the door, Koschei found Maisa standing up on unsteady, chubby legs and crying out. "Mama!" She cried, damp eyes widening when she caught sight of her mother. "Hey little pea, what's all this about then?" She said softly, feeling slightly guilty at her daughter's obvious confusion at waking up in a strange environment. "Mama, Mama" she whined, raising her arms and grabbing at the air. Koschei lifted Maisa out of her cot, humming as the toddler sniffed and buried her head against her mother's chest. "Okay, sweetheart, we're at uncle Theta's. Do you remember?" The toddler nodded settling when she remembered where she was but still showed no intention of letting go of Koschei. Instead, she clung tighter and nuzzled against the time lady. "Hug, mama" she whined against Koschei who felt dribble form on her shoulder as Maisa sucked on it. It was an old comfort habit that Maisa had had since she was newly-loomed. "Oh, little pea, I was only next door. You want a cuddle?" Koschei soothed, running a hand down Maisa's back. Her daughter nodded. "Are you hungry for some food?" "Hug, hug please" Maisa murmured, tightening her grip on Koschei. "Okay, cuddles first and then we'll have some breakfast" the time lady soothed, walking back into Theta's room and rejoining the sleeping time lord.

Surprisingly, both Maisa and Koschei fell back to sleep, joining Theta in the land of nod. For a few short hours, everything was peaceful and perfect for the two and a half time lords.

Gordon woke in his cell to his usual empty stomach and dry mouth. The room was dark, and although there were no windows, he could tell it was the middle of the night. He was beginning to tire of this whole charade, the time lords hadn't been in contact with him since his arrest and he had no idea whether or not the faction was still operating without his leadership. The faction leader now had daily interviews and he knew he was close to breaking and providing details of the plan to his ex- boss. Even so, he was sure it would be pointless now. They must be aware that the faction was nothing more than a cover for the time lord's plans. Despite this, Gordon still harboured ambitions that his faction would be able to grow in strength and create adequate defenses against alien attacks. Moving his hand to rid the sleep from his eyes, the man jolted when he realised he was chained. This was new. kate and the UNIT employes had never used actual restraints before, was this a new tactic he thought to himself?

"No" a voice echoed calmly off the walls "this wasn't Kate or UNIT'S idea, dearie" the voice continued, reading the man's fears and smirking. Gordon squinted in the dark, trying to make out the figure. As he lifted his head, the first thing he saw was the glistening silver edge of a blade. Swallowing dryly and moving his eyes further up, he saw a pair of ice blue slits staring back at him. He knew those eyes, but he'd never seen them like this. When he saw them, they were hazy and confused and scared. He'd revelled in the power. Now, they were alight and dangerous and so very alive. Gordon felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Have you guessed who it is yet?" the voice in the dark teased, both knowing that he knew who it was. "Mistress" Gordon said through gritted teeth. "Oh! No fun. I was hoping to drag that out a wee bit longer. I suppose I can't help it if my reputation precedes me" she sighed, lighting a candle and letting the flames burst light into the dank cell. The time lady smirked when she saw Gordon's weathered face. Gordon managed a smirk when he saw her swollen abdomen. "Oh, honey, I wouldn't be smirking about anything if I were you. You're in big trouble" Missy replied, taking quick calculated steps towards the man and stopping when they were face to face. She'd had this encounter planned out for weeks. The planning hadn't taken long, but readying herself to be able to face him had. Now, as she stood face to face with him, she had managed to bury her fear away for long enough to get the revenge she sought.

"I see this pregnancy has been successful, then. Must be something to do with the human DNA" Gordon winked, figuring his time was limited and he wouldn't go down without a fight. Missy rolled her eyes for show while internally she swallowed down the bile that was rising. "Yes, well my species has always struggled with fertility. It's a shame the same can't be said for your lot. They just keep reproducing. You lot really will become the pest infestation of the Universe" she said calmly as she undid his shirt and began tracing the blade along his chest, licking her lips in anticipation. Gordon shivered at the coolness of it and closed his eyes. "If you're going to kill me, get it over with" he said with a resigned acceptance. "Kill you!" the time lady exclaimed, chuckling gravely. "Death's too good for you, love. I'm going to make you suffer" she said, moving to straddle him as she sunk the knife in deep enough to hurt but make nothing more than a surface wound. "Now, why don't you say something nice?"

That first torture lasted a good few hours and Missy made sure that she programmed her vortex manipulator to travel a few hours backwards when she teleported back into the house. Crawling back into bed with the Doctor, she sighed happily as she nuzzled against his back. Adrenaline was still pumping through her veins and her mind was too active for sleep but she was content to lay next to the Doctor and pleased that she had got away with her jolly.

"And where have you been?" A Scottish voice, edged with sleep, asked through the silence. He'd been aware that Missy had gone missing about an hour ago. He also knew that she had been climbing the walls the last few days. He couldn't forbid her from going off, in fact, he'd gone off several times himself over the last week. Neither of them fared well when faced with being caged in. However, when he sensed the temporal residue that came with rough and ready time travel, he had to voice a concern. "Out" Missy replied cooly, hearts still pumping as she drew Gallifreyan circles into his back. The Doctor sighed, feeling her accelerated heartbeats. If she'd been off killing someone or something, he didn't want to know. It was easier to accept her behaviour when he was ignorant to it. The time lord did worry, however, about the impact that using cheap time travel would have on her and the baby. "I don't mind you going out, Missy. I wish you'd tell me before you went, though, but I get that it can get a bit suffocating in here. Just promise not to use that vortex manipulator again. It's dangerous enough when you just have yourself to worry about, it really isn't safe for the baby." Missy rolled onto her back and sighed and kicked her legs out against the sheets. The adrenaline was leaving her now and she knew she had to be careful. The come down was always harder. Listening to the Doctor's words, she resolved to only use conventional methods of transport in her future torture efforts. She couldn't have the Doctor growing suspicious.

And so, for the next few weeks, whenever she found herself at UNIT HQ, whether that was for a check up or while the Doctor was working in the lab, she would pay a little visit to Gordon.

Artificial lighting was bleeding into the shop, making the Doctor squint as he walked down an aisle lined with wet wipes and potties. It was now late September and the Doctor had followed Kate's advice of going shopping for baby supplies during this month because there were always bound to be sales on. The Doctor remembers that Kate had giggled after that, stating "well, it makes sense really." Everyone had laughed, except for the Doctor who just looked confused. Missy had been the one to put the old fool out of his misery, explaining Kate's joke. "New Year's celebrations, dear, on Earth and in linear time, take place at the end of December" she had drawled, smirking. "So?" the Doctor had scowled, causing the humans to laugh some more. Missy had rolled her eyes and continued her explanation. "By September, love, it's been nine months since New Year's and all those...fireworks" she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively and waving her hands in what could only be assumed to be an impression of fireworks. The Doctor had frowned, deep in thought for a few seconds. Eyes bulged comically in realisation as he gasped "oh" and tried to ignore the laughs of the room.

Pushing the reminder of his embarrassing ignorance to the back of his mind, the Doctor picked up two bulk packets of newborn nappies and compared them confusedly. As he examined the near-identical packets, he found himself questioning how he'd ended up spending the best part of a day at Mothercare. That morning, the two time lords had realised they had nothing planned for the day and that was never good for either of them. Clara had gone to work. About a month ago the teacher had decided she would return to work when the new term started, on a part time basis, in order to maintain some of her old life. It was a decision that the Doctor had understood and encouraged. Ever since Danny's death, Clara had retreated from her everyday life and fully into her life with the Doctor. While the time lord enjoyed spending time with Clara, he knew it wasn't right or fair on her to be robbed of a normal human life. Also, throughout all of this, the Doctor had to prioitise Missy so it would be good for Clara to have some time to herself, even if it did mean going back to work. Kate had called the previous evening to inform the Doctor that an important meeting was being held at UNIT, with high profile external visitors, so he wouldn't be able to use the lab to continue researching pain relief methods for Missy. With Clara at work and UNIT off limits, their day was wide open. Glancing at the calendar on the fridge, the Doctor realised that it was now the final week in September; if they didn't go shopping this week they'd miss out on the offers that Kate was talking about. Not only that, Missy was now larger, more tired and grumpier. If they left the shopping any longer, she would refuse to go completely. For once in his life, the Doctor was having to battle against time. Living in a linear timeline was proving harder than he had expected. It was even harder when he had a time machine but couldn't use it. Looking over at Missy, he had noticed that the time lady seemed quite settled as she dug into whatever concoction she was eating that morning. Today looked set to be one of her good days, maybe it would be best to try and do the shop today. "How are you feeling today, Missy?" He's asked, watching her tilt her head and examine him. "Fat and pregnant" she'd responded, taking a bite out of what looked like toast. The Doctor had laughed. It would be one of her good days if she was able to be sarcastic about the situation. "Well yes, I can see that" he teased, pausing to watch her inevitably feign offense. "But what I actually meant was how are things up here today?" He asked tapping the side of his head meaningfully. They'd fallen into this habit over the past few weeks as they'd both settled into the new routine, the Doctor asking Missy how she was feeling and her sometimes being able to respond openly. Some days it was obvious that she was having a bad day and things were too much in her head. Other days, it was equally easy to tell that she was having a good day. Today was the latter, with the time lady able to make sarcastic digs and jokes. "Ah you mean am I closer to sane than insane today? I get ya" she winked theatrically in response. "Well I'm up and dressed. I'm walking and talking. I'm not hearing anything in my head but the baby's imprint and my own thoughts. I'm not the one that runs around claiming to be a doctor, but I'd say my head was pretty sane today" she sang, taking a sip of orange juice. "Good" the Doctor nodded, "then we're going shopping."

So, three hours later, that was how the Doctor had found himself comparing nappies and all sorts of other baby related equipment. Retrieving a scrunched up list, the Doctor crossed a line through nappies as he flung his selected box into the trolley. "Missy, come on, we've still got to go to the clothes section and pick you up some maternity bras. Whatever the hell they are" the Doctor called out, panicking slightly when Missy didn't immediately respond and he couldn't catch sight of her. She couldn't have gotten far and she wasn't exactly hard to spot nowadays. With the pregnant time lady now approaching the end of her sixth month, she had a very prominent bump. Kate had quietly taken the Doctor to one side about a month ago and mentioned that Missy was bigger than most women at that stage. She had organised a home visit with Dr Chang, just to double check that there hadn't been a mistake with his estimation of how far along Missy was. After a half an hour examination, he concluded that his first predictions had been correct. The time lady had been unimpressed by the unnecessary prodding, even after the Doctor had explained why it actually was necessary. Dr. Chang and Kate had reassured them both that it wasn't anything to worry about, each pregnancy was different. The Doctor, however, had suspected that Missy's small frame and the fact the her time lord body wasn't meant for this had lead to such a large bump.

Taking a deep breath and scanning the aisle, he tried again. "Missy?" He questioned, relief growing when he received a reply from behind. "I'm coming, keep your hair on" she mumbled and the Doctor suppressed the urge to laugh as he watched her waddle slowly towards him, holding some packets in her hand. Missy had certainly become more comfortable with the pregnancy over the last few weeks, he noted to himself. The time lady caught sight of the Doctor's face, all tight and fighting the urge to laugh. Sighing, she felt the pressure on her ankles and the burning in her feet as she tried to reach him. "Go on, you can laugh" she said, finally reaching him and looping her arm through his. "It is a bit funny. But you know I'm not laughing at what happened to you. I'd never laugh at that" he said gravely, feeling Missy lean against his arm. "I know. Anyway, I hope you realise that you're giving me a foot massage when we get in. My feet are killing me" she yawned, resting her head against his shoulder. "You mean another foot massage like every other night? I think I've just about gotten used to the routine, yes Mistress" He joked, bopping her nose and laughing. "Well they just ache so much at the moment" she whined, shifting on her feet as though to stress her point. Missy was starting to get restless at this stage. One hour in this hell hole had been enough but three was testing her already limited patience. It was a wonder no one had died yet. "I'm tired. Can we go now?" She asked, slowing and hoping the Doctor would take the hint to match her pace. He did before looking over at her. "We'll go, we just need to get one more item and then we're done and won't need to get anything else or come back here again" he said, looking back down at his list intently. "Right, this way, we need to get you some maternity bras for when you're nursing th-" Missy stilled. "Stop" she said, the Doctor obeyed and gulped. They'd discussed that Missy would have to care for the child herself for at least a month a few weeks before hand. Her reaction to the news had been mixed and she hadn't said much about how she was feeling concerning it all. The Doctor knew she was nervous about the bonding and intimacy that would come with breastfeeding; he just hoped that he wasn't about to trigger a reaction to it now. Missy picked up on what the Doctor was worrying about and shook her head. "I was just stopping because I already picked that up as well as some of these blankets" she reassured him waving the packages in front of him as she dropped them in the trolley. "Ah" the Doctor breathed, visibly relieved that she wasn't on the verge of a breakdown while they were in public. It was for her sake more than his. "I was concerned you were a bit worried about what we were talking about the other week" the Doctor said slowly, choosing his words carefully. Missy nodded. "I am worried about all of that" she said calmly, working to keep herself calm, "but there's still a while before I need to think about that. I'm trying to take things day by day while I'm coping well with things" she said quietly, as the pair walked towards the checkouts. "I am doing okay, aren't I, Thete?" She asked, confidence faltering slightly as she turned to the Doctor with furrowed brows. There were times in the past where she had thought she was doing well but actually she hadn't been. Sometimes she couldn't tell when her mind was playing tricks. She really thought she'd been doing well this time but there was a possibility that she hadn't. The Doctor's felt for her as he heard her doubt herself. "You've been doing really well, sweetheart." She nodded, pushing her doubts to the back of her mind. "Good, good. I just have to check" she said. The fact that she had the clarity to check highlighted to both of them how well she was doing. If she had been doing truly badly, she wouldn't have even been aware. "I know you do. If you want to talk about any of that stuff another time, we can. We've got plenty of time to go over it. "Thanks. I will before..." she pauses to wave in front of her, "before she arrives but not right now." The Doctor nods and smiles as they arrive at the checkout. He had happily observed that Missy hadn't referred to the baby as 'it' all day. This would make it the second day in a row, evidence that she was stabilising. "Do you like those blankets I chose?" the time lady asked as he began unloading the heavier stuff onto the conveyer belt, Missy placing the lighter items on after. It was a sign to change the conversation. "I do. I like the little ducks on the corners" he smiled, greeting the cashier with a nod. Missy smiled proudly, pleased to have done something right. "Maisa always liked blankets. I think this one will too. They'll definitely need them, what with being born in winter and all" Missy said wistfully, gaze lingering on the pile of pastel blankets as she traced her finger over her stomach. The Doctor watched her curiously, wondering if she'd given anymore thought about what she was going to do with the child after it was born. So far, she had always vehemently said that she couldn't raise it. He'd broached the idea of Me and Henry adopting the baby with her and she had seemed in favour of the notion. However, every so often, he caught sight of her maternal side. A side of her he hadn't seen in centuries. He questioned whether once the child was actually here, she'd be able to give them up. "Maisa did like blankets. I remember once looking after her when you had to go off somewhere for the evening and she was not a happy bunny; she cried the house down until I produced that old rag of a blanket she dragged along everywhere." The Doctor reminisced, pushing his thoughts of what would happen to the baby to the back of his mind, mentally noting he would discuss it with her later. Missy hummed happily at the memory of Maisa, she'd been thinking a lot about her daughter recently which was no surprise given the circumstances. It wasn't often that the Doctor and her reminisced about their children. "I still have that blanket, somewhere...where ever all my things are at the moment" Missy paused, realising she had no idea where any of her possessions were, let alone her Tardis. I don't think I would have lost it. I used to keep it in my desk drawer at Downing Street" the time lady laughed, ignoring the confused look of the cashier. Didn't humans always look confused, anyway? "That'll be £250, please" the young girl said, interrupting the time lords. The Doctor passed over the UNIT credit card, cringing. Money had never been a thing that concerned either of them but the past few months living on Earth had taught him a thing or two. Missy remained unfazed, still oblivious to the more mundane details of human life. "You gave me a box of things that used to belong to Maisa a while ago, love. I can go to the Tardis and get it sometime next week if you'd like ?" Missy nodded, deep in thought "of course I did, when I was taking a break from being Harold Saxon. I remember now. I was so paranoid in that form. I mean, I normally am, but that one more so" she said, "it's funny the things we forget, isn't it" she laughed. The Doctor nodded and the pair headed back to the car.

"She's managed to start torturing Gordon, Lord President" Alsaz said tiredly in the eleventh hour of the meeting. There were about twenty members of the High Council present, all of whom were privy to details surrounding the plans to start the new army. "Gordon?" Rassilon questioned, not needing to ask who she was shuffling through papers and failing to recall a Gordon. "The faction leader, sir. The human" Alsaz said, growing tired of having to remind him of particularly crucial people involved in the plan. "Oh, him. The smug one" Rassilon said with a dismissive flick of the hand. "Where did we get that intelligence from? That immortal girl?" He asked, watching as Alsaz shook her head. "No, not Me. We have some other ears on the inside. Humans can be easily bought." Rassilon nodded, he'd started to grow concerned about Me's loyalties since the Mistress' release from imprisonment. "Does the Doctor know what she's been doing?" He asked, knowing that exploiting the differences in the Doctor and the Master's moral compasses had always been a form of entertainment. "No. But I don't think he'll care this time. He knows what Gordon did to her" Alsaz explained. "Hmm, perhaps not, but he would care if an innocent party got caught up in it" he said, clogs starting to turn as he formulated a plan. "I'm not happy with her being able to torture this Gordon" Rassilon declared after a moment of consideration. It wasn't that he cared for the faction leader's welfare, it was more he could see all the time they spent breaking her in becoming wasted. A Mistress with fight left in her was not something he wanted to deal with when they got her back to Gallifrey.

"Remind me why we aren't still using the tracker to torment her?" He asked the team, still unsure as to why they had stopped using that technique a few weeks before hand. "We want it to be able to work in a few months time, to get her back to Gallifrey. When we were using it to before, they were finding ways to deal with it" Alsaz spoke up, after a few nervous glances from the others at the table. "Oh yes. All that 'Kos, listen to me. It's not real, focus on my voice' lark" Rassilon sighed, tapping his fingers against the surface. "We will start to use it again in a few weeks time, sir, we just don't want the Mistress to become immune to it. It is vital that both her and the Doctor are on Gallifrey when the baby is born, if we want this plan to work" Alsaz consoled, watching Rassilon nod reluctantly. "Fine, but is there anything else we can use in the meantime? I want her to be tame when she gets here" Rassilon said, this time turning his attention to the science team. "Actually" the time lord at the end of the table spoke up, looking over to Alsaz who nodded, "there is something we've been working on. We can start testing it as soon as you say the word. She'll definitely be tamed by the time she gets here after being used as a guinea pig for this" he continued. "Good. Whatever you need to do, do it" Rassilon nodded definitively. "Now, if you'll all open the folders in front of you, I want you to familiarise yourself with the lives and deaths of Cilinzia, Yimin, Unza, Daryn, Rilni and Maisa."


	30. Chapter Thirty

It was the warm light that Missy first noticed. Brighter and hotter than any light source on earth. Pushing herself up, she was surprised at the ease of her movements. The last month or so, she'd grown used to the slow, sluggish movements that had come with her pregnancy. Now, however, she felt fine. Better than fine, she felt well and healthy and happy. She actually felt happy. Walking a few feet, she felt the sand beneath her bare feet. For a minute, she thought she was back on Gallifrey, in the days before the war and the madness. The time lady quickly realised, however, that the sky was the wrong colour and the atmosphere tasted all wrong. Usually, Missy would panic at not knowing where she was or why she was there, but for some reason, she felt a strange feeling of tranquility in her unfamiliar surroundings. She felt complete. In the distance, she could hear a stream flowing downwards. Catching sight of the gushing purple liquid, running parallel to where she stood she decided to follow it. Enjoying her newfound energy and mobility, she half skipped and half ran down the path almost matching the speed of the water as it winded it's way downhill pooling into a lake at the bottom. Missy breathed in the fresh air and took a seat at the edge of the lake. Peering into the water, she watched fish zig zag with the current and was hypnotised by the way the water shimmered in the sunlight. Looking in further, she was shocked to find a reflection that wasn't her own staring back up.

The reflection was that of a man, he looked kind as he smiled back at the time lady. Missy couldn't restrain her intrigue and ran her fingertips along the water. The liquid was beautifully perfect, in fact, if Missy were asked to describe it, she wouldn't have been able to put it into words. Everything about it just felt right. The time lady's fingers traced the outline of the smiling man, for some reason she felt compelled to reach out and touch every feature on his face. To her surprise, the man's reflection didn't disappear. Instead, the face smiled broader as though he was pleased with her curiosity. As though it was exactly what he wanted her to do. After a few seconds of tentative exploration, Missy decided to try talking with the man.

"Hello?" She questioned, unsure whether this reflection would be able to reply. There was a wider smile from the reflection before he answered with a voice that was as indescribably beautiful as the water that housed him. The voice was hypnotic and Missy found herself drowning into a trance like state under it. "Hello, Mistress. I've been waiting so very long for you" the voice sang softly. Missy watched on, head swaying slightly as she felt herself fall deeper under his spell, his voice felt like a warm blanket encompassing her everything. Nothing else mattered apart from his voice. "Have you? I've been here all along" Missy felt the words drop out of her mouth and knew they were her own, but didn't know why she was saying them. They didn't make sense, she'd only just met him. Still, the words left her mouth. They weren't the words she wanted to ask, but they left her mouth anyway. The face smiled, eyes glistening. "Well, you're here now" it replied melodically and Missy became enticed further.

"You see, the aim of this technology is to gain the ability to coerce any being into bending to your will. If we're able to bend the will of a time lord as strong minded as the Mistress, then it should be a success with any other time lords, not to mention lower species. Technology like this will be hugely advantageous to the war effort" a time lord from the science team explained to Rassilon, who had demanded an immediate demonstration of the technology they were planning on testing on the Mistress to ensure she was as tame, if not tamer, as she had been when she was released from Gallifrey. "I see" Rassilon said seriously, looking around the room and setting eyes on a demonstrator who was plugged into wires and had their face being projected into the Mistress' mind. He seemed to be currently engaged in some kind of conversation with time lady and every so often the Mistress' voice could be heard echoing into the laboratory, each utterance causing the group of scientists at the round table to write down notes. "Is it working?" The President asked, unhappy with the content tone of the Mistress voice. He preferred it when she was begging and crying. "It's working perfectly, sir" the time lord answered, picking up on his superiors' disappointment at the lack of torture, he added "this is just one of the methods. We have other, darker techniques and they will be used over the course of the next few weeks." Rassilon nodded, pleased with what he was hearing.

Taking a seat, he watched curiously as he saw the time lord wired up to the psychic projection conversing with the Mistress. Above Rassilon, on a screen, he could see the time lady sat on a sandy bank, looking intently into the river. She looked peaceful and happy, but her movements were obedient and she moved rigidly, as though she were under a spell. In the water, he could just about make out a reflection that matched the time lord that was attached to all the wires. Interesting, he thought to himself. The scene, quaint as it was, looked real to the unknowing eye. It was only the flurry of strange light that lined the Mistress' frame, the type that was often associated in Gallifreyan culture with the psyche's version of a self, that gave away that the scene was a false-reality. "I assume this is what the Mistress is seeing and believes to be happening right now?" Rassilon asked the scientist as he motioned at the screen. "Yes, sir, indeed it is" came the reply as the white-coated time lord pressed a few buttons into a hand held device, causing the large screen to split. On one side of the screen, the image of the Mistress conversing with the projection remained. On the side next to it, an image of an average bedroom in a detached house came onto the screen. Out of the corner of the room, the Mistress walked to the centre of the room re-arranging it in a nonsensical order. This Mistress had no flurry of light outlining her form and carried a large bump at her middle, highlighting the realness of this version. The time lady's movements matched her psyche's figure: obedient and rigid. Once the time lady had collected all the items, she lit a match, dropping it onto the pile of random belongings and stood staring vacantly as the flames engulfed the items and a fire came to life.

Rassilon watched, intrigued, for a few moments before the voice of the young time lord brought him back to reality. "So you see, in the Mistress' mind, she is on that planet having a conversation with the 'Man'" at this point he broke off to point at his colleague being projected into Missy's psyche, "in the Water. In reality, however, we are making her do what we like. This example was just an exercise to see if it would work. It does and means we've been able to open up another portal into her mind, to use until we re-activate the tracker." The time lord explained proudly. "That's brilliant" Rassilon praised and the young time lord bowed his head in appreciation. This was his first job out of the Academy and he was pleased to be able to get praise from Rassilon. "So, she has absolutely no idea of what she is doing in reality?" The President asked. "That's right, my lord, the scene in her head is incredibly realistic. It is more than a dream, it is a full blown sensory hallucination. To her, at the moment, nothing else is real but the images that her psyche is conjuring up. Right now, it is a pleasant image but we're hoping to try and test out the effectiveness of negative ones over the next few days. We want to see what kind of an impact the different scenarios will have on her willingness to comply in reality. While she's on earth, we're just testing random tasks and seeing how willing she is to comply. Once we get her back on Gallifrey, we hope she'll be able to follow orders of war, maybe even take part in training her child to become a similar weapon." Rassilon nodded, standing up and returning to the scientist's side. "This is excellent work. I'm very pleased" the older time lord told the scientist as he reached into the pocket of his robes and retrieved a golden token that was used in the Capitol to get extra rations of supplies from shops that were limiting what they served in the lead up to the rejuvenation of the war. "Here, please take this as a show of my gratitude. Make sure you and your family get something special for supper." The young time lord smiled, "thank you lord president. I think you'll be interested to know that there is more to it" he said, watching Rassilon's eyebrow pique in interest. "We're working to make the Mistress associate positive experiences, such as the one we're trialling today, with workers from our department. That's time lords that are loyal to the cause. In turn, we're making bio-copies of faces she has been learning to trust over the last few months. That could be Clara, Kate or even the Doctor himself. We're working to make her associate negative experiences with those individuals. In theory, therefore, when the time comes for the birth, the Mistress should trust those loyal to us over those she is with on earth at the moment. This way, it'll make it easier to ensure the baby is born in our territory and can be taken straight away." Rassilon smiled further. It was an unusual expression that didn't suit his harsh features, so rare was it that the President actually smiled. "My, my boy, keep this up and they'll be plenty more benefits coming your way" he encouraged the young scientist, who beamed proudly, clearly happy with both his work and his superior's recognition.

The evenings were drawing in now and even though it was barely 7pm, the street lights were on up and down the road. Autumn was definitely upon them. As Clara dismounted her scooter, she had to use the light from her phone to search for the house keys. The young teacher found herself regretting her decision to return to work for the autumn term. It was dark when she left the house and dark when she returned. The regret was only momentary, however, bought on by the gloomy mornings and evenings. The woman soon forgot any doubts when she thought back to how much she had enjoyed her return to the classroom. Any feelings of regret were quickly gotten rid of as she thought back to her successful lesson on Jane Austen and the students that had welcomed her back so happily. Anyway, she was only back on a part time basis and would be able to enjoy a day off tomorrow. Twisting the keys in the lock, she sighed in relief as warm air washed over her and she stepped into the hallway, nearly tripping over the box of nappies and a basinet that were blocking her entrance. "Ah" Clara muttered to herself, "that'll be what you two got up to today then." The human stepped over the obstacles and dodged the other bags that were scattered in the hallway. Casting an eye down to the pastel blankets, Clara couldn't help but smile. The soft woolen bundle looked adorable with the yellow ducks stitched into their corners. "Doctor, Missy?" She called out, following the sound of the television into the lounge.

The Doctor was sat in the armchair with his back to the door, indulging in some trashy TV. When he and Missy had arrived home a few hours previous, the time lady had seemed utterly exhausted and after a light meal had disappeared up to the bedroom. Missy had told the Doctor that she would be reading, but he wouldn't be surprised if she had fallen to sleep; he didn't mind either way. In fact, he was pleased that she had recognised her moods and body's needs and was able to go upstairs without him. A few weeks before hand she never would have been able to do that. Feeling rather tired himself, the Doctor had given himself a pat on the back for all he and Missy had achieved with the day and treated himself to some relaxation in front of the box. Hearing the door creak open and Clara call out his name, he tried to change the channel- he'd be damned if Clara or Missy was going to catch him watching Keeping up with the Kardashians. When he heard the low chuckle from behind him, however, he realised his efforts had been in vain and resigned himself to whatever mocking would come his way.

"Oh Doctor, the Kardashians, really?" Clara laughed, joining the Doctor in the lounge and sitting opposite him, kicking off her boots and pulling her legs under herself. "Shut up" the Doctor said sharply, muting the telly with the controller that, just two minutes previously, he had been unable to find. Clara raised her hand in defeat, but remained silently laughing to herself. Recovering herself, she eventually registered Missy's absence. "Where's Missy?" She asked, looking over to the Doctor who had started to read a manual in Gallifreyan as though to prove to both of them that he still had his intelligence. "Upstairs" the time lord replied, looking up from his book. "I think she might have gone to sleep. We had a busy day today and it definitely took it out of her." Clara nodded, "oh yes, I saw the shopping in the hallway. In fact, I nearly tripped over it. Did you manage to get some good deals like Kate suggested?" Clara asked, wrinkling her nose as she smelt the slight scent of burning. It must have been a bonfire from one of the near by farms. Richmond really took some getting used to in comparison to East London. The Doctor put his book down. "Ah yes, sorry about that, we just kind of dropped them in the hallway. You're off tomorrow, aren't you?" Clara nodded. "Would you be able to give me a hand taking it upstairs? Missy still tries to do the heavy lifting if she sees me doing it, but if we both take the boxes then she can take the blankets and bottles and not feel like she's being put on a pedestal" the Doctor said, remembering how the time lady had been so reluctant to accept help or take things easier despite her condition. It never had been her nature to take things easy. Clara nodded, "yeah of course. I saw those blankets, they're adorable" she gushed. "Missy chose them, all on her own. I wasn't even in the same aisle as her and she brought them to me and said she thought the baby would like them" the Doctor said, still proud of the progress his friend had been making. Clara smiled, "that's amazing progress" she encouraged, nose crinkling as the burning smell seemed to intensify.

The Doctor nodded in agreement, watching her appear to smell the air. The time lord had smelt some burning but assumed it was his heightened senses picking up on something further away. Seeing Clara appear to pick up on the same scent led to some concern. Before he had the chance to express his concern, the shrill ringing of the smoke alarm rang through the house. "Have you left something in the oven again?" Clara asked, jumping up and realising it couldn't be the case when she opened the door and saw smoke trailing down the stairs. "Dammit" the Doctor exclaimed, running up the stairs two at a time followed by Clara. Opening the door onto the time lords' bedroom the Doctor was relieved to see the fire was contained to a waste basket piled with random items. Clara quickly strode across the room, coughing as she went, opening the window wide she took in large gulps of fresh air. The smoke didn't effect the Doctor or Missy as badly as it did the human so he had been expecting to find Missy asleep, unaware of the almost-house fire that he assumed was caused by a freak accident. The time lady had taken to lighting candles recently. As the smoke cleared, however, he was frozen in shock as he saw the time lady kneeling in front of the fire vacantly staring at the flames. The time lord was even more shocked when he saw that Missy's hand was in the midst of the flames and she showed no signs of pain or distress. How long had her hand been in the fire? The Doctor bit his lip in worry as he calculated the extent of the damage. The time lady showed no signs of anything. It was like she wasn't really there. How had this happened? She'd been fine, only a bit tired, when she'd come up here earlier. It didn't make sense.

Instincts kicking in the Doctor lunged towards the Mistress, pulling her away from the flames in one quick move. Briefly looking down at her hand, he cringed at the melted skin and fresh burns before directing Clara to pour the water from the flower vase over the burning waste basket. The human, herself in shock at the events, did so quickly and breathed a sigh of relief as the flames sizzled out. "What the hell was that?" the time lord shouted at the Mistress, he didn't want to come across as harsh, but didn't know how else to reach her. Missy remained rigid in his grasp, vacant look still on her face. In a split second, the time lady's demeanour changed as her eyes rolled back and her body became a dead weight against the other time lord. The Doctor had to lower himself to the ground in order to lay Missy down as gently as possible. He grabbed her wrist and examined the oozing wound, as peeling skin bubbled like an active volcano. Why had she done this? It would heal, the time lord thought to himself, her regenerative energy would make sure it barely even scarred, but that still didn't answer the why.

Clara looked from the ashes lying in the bin to the the two time lords, confusion etched on her features. "I thought you said she was okay? She's been okay. What was that all about?" She asked, reeling from their close call. It could have been a lot worse. Looking down at the time lady's burned hand, hanging limply as the Doctor grasped her wrist, Clara realised it had been bad enough. "She was fine" the Doctor exclaimed, his confused tone matching Clara's. "Your guess is as good as mine" he said, worry clear as he looked down at Missy who was starting to shiver in a cold sweat from the injuries she'd sustained. The self-sustained injuries, the Doctor thought, recalling Missy's lifelong demons and fearing the worst. "Oh Kos, why didn't you talk to me. You always come to talk to me. That's our rules" he muttered almost pleadingly to the unresponsive time lady. Clara watched on helplessly, feeling intrusive as she picked up on the Doctor's line of thought and hoped there would be another explanation. "Do you know how to treat that burn?" The human asked after a few seconds, hating the look of guilt and worry that ran across the Doctor's features. She wanted to distract him with something practical. The Doctor nodded, concern rising as he felt Missy shake in his arms and saw the beads of sweat lining her pale face. Running a hand down to her stomach, he placed his hand over her swelling middle and reached out for the infant. It took a few seconds for a clearly shaken but otherwise unhurt time tot to respond. The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief. "I want to get her out of this room though. If this is what I think it is, I don't want her to be treated here" he said, making to move the time lady when he felt her bolt up into a seated position with a quickness he didn't think possible for an individual that had just given herself third degree burns.

Missy looked around the room confused. Why did the room smell of burning? Why did her hand feel so weird and tingly? Why was she sweating when she felt so cold? Why were the Doctor and Clara staring at her like that? Nothing made sense. Where had her friend in the water gone? Why did she suddenly feel so pregnant and achy again? The Doctor watched the time lady's obvious confusion and rose to his own feet, carefully so as not to startle her. He really hoped his estimations of what she had just tried to do were wrong. "Clara, I have some supplies under the stairs that I can use to treat the burn. Will you go and lay it out in the kitchen and start running the cold water please? We'll be down in a minute" the Doctor said to the human who nodded and set about her task. Burn? Did the Doctor just say he had to treat a burn? Missy thought to herself, noting that neither the Doctor or Clara looked like they had sustained any injuries. Was Daisy around tonight? Kate's little girl had been around a lot over the last few weeks and had grazed her knee just last week. Children were so clumsy at that age. If it was Daisy, Missy could help. They'd been getting on really well. Missy liked the days she came over. "Who's been hurt, Doctor? Was it Daisy again? She's so accident prone" She said, hearing her voice sound distant and strange. She felt another strong chill run through her body and felt slightly sick. The Doctor softened his gaze, locking away his own fears as he approached the time lady. "Daisy's not here, love. You have hurt yourself, Missy. You've burnt your hand" he explained as gently as possible watching her shake her head, swaying off balance from the movement. "No I haven't, don't be stupid" she laughed feeling another cold sweat run through her as the sick rose up. It rested at the bottom of her throat, waiting and making her cheeks drain of colour and tingle. How silly Theta could still be. The Doctor shook his head and tried another approach. "Look at your hand, Missy, it's hurt. You need to let me treat it" he said softly as he approached the time lady, arm out and ready to catch her. She was clearly confused and possibly in shock. Missy wasn't squeamish, he knew that, but she was looking slightly green after this experience. He wanted to be prepared for her reaction and prevent her from hurting herself further if she were to react badly. Missy rolled her eyes, "really, Thete, I think I'd remember if I burnt my hand" she laughed, running her eyes down to her hand in spite of her words.

The Doctor waited, knowing what was coming as he watched the time lady look at her injured hand. "Oh" Missy said, not looking away from the hand for a few seconds and then, almost in slow motion, doubling over and emptying her stomach. The time lord stepped forward when he was sure she had finished vomiting and helped her to straighten up. "You're okay, it's worse than it looks" he consoled, "let's go and get it all sorted." "How did I do that?" Missy asked, wiping at her mouth with her good hand. "You put your hand in the fire, sweetheart. Now come on, we need to get that seen to as soon as possible so it heals properly" the Doctor said guiding her out of the room and slowly down the stairs. "What fire, Thete? There was no fire" Missy said, confused at what her friend was going on about this time. The Doctor held her steady, her already slow waddle was even slower than normal. He could feel her skin growing clammy under his fingers and noted that she was shaking slightly despite the sweat that swamped her body. "There was a fire in your room, love" he explained matter of factly, knowing now wasn't the time for accusations. "Why would I put my hand in a fire?" the time lady questioned as they rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. The Doctor sighed. "That's what we're going to talk about in a little while, Missy. First, let's get this looked at" he said.

Entering the kitchen, he noticed that Clara had everything set up and ready. Smiling at the human, he noted that he'd have to take her to meet Florence Nightingale at some point. After the last few weeks, the pair of them would have some notes to exchange. Clara dragged one of the higher stools, that usually stood at the breakfast bar, next to sink. It was the only seat that would allow Missy to rest while she ran her hand under cold water. The pregnant time lady had struggled to sit comfortably on the stool since she started to properly show but with help from both the Doctor and Clara, she managed to settle in a semi-comfortable position. The Doctor tested the cold water himself first, thoughts racing through his mind as he did. Missy had been fine throughout the shop and when the'd returned home. Sure, she'd been tired but she'd been constantly tired for the last month. Even with the tiredness, she'd hadn't shown any recent signs of suicidal tendencies or self-harming habits. In the past there had always warnings, but this was so out of the blue.

"Is the water ready, Doctor?" Clara asked, drawing him from his thoughts as he looked over to the two women. The smaller woman was stood behind Missy rubbing her back lightly with one hand and using the other arm to support the time lady on her perch. Missy seemed to be drifting somewhere between reality and the ether, not entirely taking in what had happened or what was going on around her. Strangely, she seemed almost happy, humming to herself as she watched the water run from the tap. The Doctor watched her behaviour, feeling more confused the more he saw. This wasn't the Master after they'd intentionally hurt themselves. He'd seen the Master plenty of times after such an incident and this wasn't it. Normally, they would be despondent, avoiding eye contact and resistant to any help. Right now, Missy seemed dazed and confused but she also seemed strangely content. Maybe this was something else.

Looking down at Missy's hand, the Doctor pushed thoughts of her behaviour patterns to the back of his mind and instead focused on the task in hand. "Can I have your hand please, Missy? We're going to put it under the water" the Doctor explained, guiding her hand under the cool water and being met with no resistance from the time lady who continued to hum happily and watch the water pool into the sink, growing deeper and deeper in the metallic tub. Missy peered further into the sink, the deeper the water got, as though looking for something. Clara had to pull the time lady back into a seated position to stop her pulling the stool over. The Doctor and Clara exchanged looks as they observed Missy's strange behaviour.

"Will the Man in the water be in there?" Missy asked suddenly, dropping her hand into the water and sifting through it, wanting the Man in the Water to reappear more than anything. The Doctor gasped as he watched her hand drop. He didn't pay much attention to what she was saying. The burned hand hit the water with such force that it must have hurt. The time lady didn't even flinch, however, and instead carried on trying to part the water and look for something. "Missy" he said urgently lifting her hand back, "keep your hand under the running water." Missy blinked. "Will that make the Man in the Water come back?" She asked. Now it was the Doctor's turn to blink. "What?" He asked, not having a clue what she was talking about. "Will keeping my hand under the water make the Man in the Water come back?" The time lady elaborated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world and clearly growing frustrated with the Doctor's slowness.

The Doctor opened his mouth to reply but couldn't find the words. Was this going to be the next hallucination to plague her? First the drums and now the Man in the Water. "What are you talking about, Missy?" Clara asked, sensing the Doctor struggling. "The Man in the Water, dear. He was so nice, he told me such nice things" the time lady responded dreamily. The Doctor regained his ability to talk and asked carefully, "when was this Missy?" He'd never heard her speak about a Man in the Water before. "When I was on that planet, earlier, before you told me about the fire" she replied, still peering into the water hopefully. "The planet was so tranquil and I didn't ache and I wasn't pregnant. I was just me" Missy explained, looking down at her stomach in disgust as though to express her point. "And the water. Oh, Doctor, the water in the stream where the Man lived was amazing. It felt like nothing I'd ever felt before" Missy gushed before her eyes widened. "This water feels different, it's not the type of water that the Man lived in" the time lady said seriously turning to look at the confused Doctor. "Missy, you were just upstairs, you didn't go to any planet. I think maybe you might have been dreaming" the time lord said, seeing no other explanation. Missy shook her head, her silly Thete, that hadn't been a dream. It had been real, she had felt it. "No, Thete, it was real, Really, really, properly real" Missy sang and the Doctor sighed looking over to Clara.

Missy turned her attention back to the running water, frowning as the Man in the Water showed no sign of reappearing. "It must be different water. Maybe he can only live in that special water" Missy mused with a sigh. The Doctor ignored her ramblings; it was nonsense and he didn't want to indulge her hallucinations. She'd been doing so well and now appeared to be back at the start. Why did he leave her own her own? Turning off the tap, he tried to catch the time lady's eyes and direct her to hold her hand up as he and Clara helped her down from the stool. He couldn't catch her attention, however, and she remained staring into the middle distance. "I think" Missy continued, tongue sticking out in concentration, "he must have been native to that planet and could only live in his planet's native waters. Yes, that must be it." The Doctor shook his head at her words pointedly ignoring her delusions as he eased her arm up at the elbow, observing that the wound was already healing well; he had a special dressing for burns that he would apply to speed up the healing process. "Maybe, Missy" Clara said gently, humouring her like one would a child when she noticed that the Doctor wasn't going to reply. The time lady seemed uneasy with his lack of response, growing agitated as the Doctor remained silent. "I don't think he'll be here, though, so can we finish sorting your hand out and then we'll have a chat about what happened upstairs" the human suggested, looking at the Doctor and begging him with her eyes to interact with the time lady.

The Doctor caught the look in Clara's eyes and nodded, knowing that he should talk to Missy. While he felt guilty about leaving her alone, she was confused and needed reassurance. "Your hand's going to be fine, love. I'm just going to dress it with a special bandage to help the process, so why don't you get down from the stool and we'll sit at the table and do that" he guided, deliberately continuing to ignore any discussion of a Man in the Water. The Doctor had a bad feeling about him and didn't want to encourage her fantasies. "Okay" Missy smiled happily, though the Doctor noticed there was now a tired edge to her voice that wasn't there before. It was as though she was emerging back to reality. The time lord was starting to think this was less likely to be a self harming incident or suicide attempt and more likely something else. Just what it was, however, he couldn't quite put his finger on.

The time lady moved faster than she was really capable of and almost tumbled from the stool as she tried to get down. "Woah" the Doctor and Clara both stepped forward as they saw the stool wobble precariously. "Careful there, let us help you" the time lord guided, helping Missy off of the stool and to her seat at the table. "Sorry, Thete, sorry" she mumbled voice now void of any happiness as she seemed to have completely returned to the room for the first time. "That's okay, let's get this all patched up" the time lord said taking a seat next to her while Clara took a seat the other side. He wasn't sure whether she was apologising for nearly falling, for starting the fire or for burning her hand. He doubted she knew why she was apologising.

The Doctor watched as fresh tears reached Missy's eyes and he realised she was firmly back in reality. "My hand hurts" she muttered and Clara rubbed small circles into her back consoling the time lady in any way she could. "It must hurt, Missy. The Doctor's making it better though" the human soothed. "I don't remember doing it. I don't remember any of it" Missy half cried as Clara continued rubbing her back. The Doctor watched the scene, believing that Missy literally did not realise what had happened; she had been somewhere else throughout the incident. The cogs in his brain started to turn as he wondered whether this was another time lord technique. They already had a link into her mind with the tracker, adding another one would be easy enough. "That doesn't matter, Missy, we're just sorting this out and making it better" Clara continued to console the time lady as the Doctor applied a clear dressing. "I'm still pregnant" Missy said softly, looking down at her stomach. Clara watched the time lady and felt awful as she took in her features. She hadn't seen her look this way in weeks. It wasn't fair, she'd been doing so well. "You were always pregnant, love, I think someone's been playing tricks on your mind again" the Doctor said, completing the dressing and looking at the time lady with concern. "I didn't feel pregnant before. I felt better than I'd ever felt in this regeneration" she sighed, "it must have been tricks" she acknowledged resignedly. "I can try and have a look at what's causing the hallucinations but I think it might be a bit much for you tonight" the Doctor said seeing Missy struggle to keep her eyes open. The time lady nodded. "Can I go to bed?" She asked, suddenly wanting nothing more than blissful, empty sleep. "Of course, come on, we'll go up now and use the spare room" the Doctor suggested, not wanting to trigger any memories by taking her back into their usual room. Watching Missy start to walk out of the room, he turned back to Clara briefly, "it wasn't her, she didn't do it to herself this time" he managed a half smile that dropped as he contemplated his next words, "now I just need to figure out what was happening to her." Clara nodded, "well, I think we all know who it was" the human said as the Doctor nodded grimly. "I'm going up with her and probably won't be back down. Do you mind?" the time lord enquired, knowing that Missy was hovering at the bottom of the stairs waiting for him. "Of course not" the human replied, "let me know if you need anything."

Clara was sat in the lounge half-watching the latest detective show. Upstairs, she could hear the Doctor and Missy having a conversation. Although, it sounded more one-sided with the Doctor, talking softly to Missy. Clara noted that he was speaking Gallifreyan and that it sounded like Missy was crying. The time lady must have been spooked by the events of the evening, everything returning to her slowly. A muffled buzzing noise coming from the armchair interrupted her train of thought. It took Clara a while to realise that it was the Doctor's mobile that must have fallen out of his pocket. Reaching behind and retrieving the phone she answered it without looking at the screen. "Hello" the woman said, sitting back down on the sofa. Whoever was on the phone would have to wait, there was no way she would interrupt the two time lords now, especially as it sounded like Missy was finally settling. The sound of the Doctor lightly humming could be heard echoing down the hallway and Clara hoped that that meant Missy was falling to sleep; it usually did. "Ah Clara" Kate greeted down the phone, "apparently the smoke alarm went off. The landlord called to say he'd had an alert. I take it one of them were cooking again and got distracted" the head of UNIT laughed. Clara swallowed, remembering the sight of Missy's burned hand and her confused state. "It did go off, it's sorted now. Actually, it wasn't their cooking, Missy had a bit of an episode. It's all under control now, though" she explained, hearing silence on the end of the line. "An episode? She's been doing so well. I mean, I know she has had a few bad days here and there, but on the whole she's been coping" Kate said, clearly surprised as she pulled her ready meal out of the microwave. "I know. It was completely out of the blue. Kate, it was awful, she started a fire and we found her burning her hand" Clara recounted, hearing a gasp on the other end. "At first, we thought it was deliberate, that she was trying to hurt herself or worse, but then it became clear that it was something else. She was in such a strange state, Kate, it was like she was in a trance. The Doctor thinks it might be a new method of the time lords" Clara finished. "I see. We should talk to Me see if she can get some information from her contacts. We've managed to stay one step ahead of them so far, don't want to get complacent. This incident might be a warning that we need to stay on top of things. I take it the Doctor's with Missy now?" Kate replied, Clara heard Missy cry out upstairs, followed by the Doctor's calming words in their native tongue. "Yes, he's still trying to settle her by the sounds of it" Clara said. "Okay, look, I was due to see him tomorrow to go over some things when he came into the lab but I think I'll pay you all a visit after work instead. It'll be nice to get out of the offices and I doubt either of them are going to feel like coming in tomorrow" Kate said, knowing in the back of her mind that she wanted to discuss the injuries that she'd found on Gordon during the latest medical. The UNIT boss had some suspicions about what had happened. "Okay" Clara agreed, knowing that neither time lord would be leaving the house tomorrow. "I'll let him know."

"That's the last box" Clara said, rolling up her sleeves as she met the Doctor in the hallway as he left the opposite room and drew the door closed behind him. The time lord nodded, looking tired. "It's all cleaned up too, should be fine for you both to sleep there tonight" the human said, grimacing as the Doctor laughed cynically. "That's if I can get her out of that bed" he said curtly, leaning against the door frame and running a hand over his face. "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to snap. Thank you for sorting it all out" he corrected himself, thinking he heard a noise behind him and re-opening the door to find Missy still unmoving in bed. Sighing, he closed the door once more. "Don't worry. Take it there's been no change?" Clara asked, expecting the answer. It was now late afternoon and all day Missy had refused to leave bed. The time lady had remained catatonic, unwilling or unable to acknowledge anyone. "No. I know she's awake but she won't even acknowledge me. It's not like yesterday when she was in a trance, thinking she's somewhere else, she just seems to have shut down. I hate it when she's like this" the Doctor said, fiddling with the monitor in his hand. "Look, last night was an awful shock for us. Imagine what it must be like for her" Clara started, "you have the monitor and there's nothing she can hurt herself with in there, so come downstairs with me and try again in half an hour." The teacher suggested, pulling the Doctor along and being met with little resistance.

The half an hour seemed to pass painfully slowly, despite the phone call with Kate and afternoon tea, but as soon as it had passed the Doctor was back upstairs and back in the spare bedroom. The time lord watched Missy's back intently as he sat at the desk next to the bed. "I know you're awake, Kos" he said firmly, watching the time lady curl up smaller on the single bed as she tried to hide herself away from his gaze. The Doctor sighed; he was running out of ways to coax her out of her stupor. Talking to her hadn't worked. Encouraging her hadn't worked. He had even once made the mistake of reaching out to touch her. The Doctor cringed as he remembered Missy jumping away from him in fear just an hour or so ago; he was sure he could still see her trembling from the fright under the duvet.

As evening approached, he knew Kate was due soon and wanted the time lady to at least try and come downstairs. Dr Chang and Me would be joining them in order to observe Missy's behaviour and try to determine what had caused her turn last night. There had been a few more strange incidences when the Doctor had been trying to get her to sleep last night. She'd say she was seeing spiders, crawling everywhere and then there were Daleks and then she was back in the hospital where she had been sectioned all those years ago. The Doctor had watched helplessly as Missy screamed and lashed out at an imaginary threat. All he had been able to do was speak to her gently in Gallifreyan when she snapped out of each trance.

Missy shuffled, rolling over to face the Doctor. It was the most he had seen her move all day. The Doctor held his breath for a moment as the time lady's wide eyes locked onto him. He released the breath when he realised that the time lady was very much present and not in one of the previous day's trances. "There you are" he smiled, speaking slowly and carefully. Missy didn't respond but kept her eyes fixed on him. She felt the baby kicking against her side and buzzing in her mind. She knew the infant must be hungry but couldn't bring her self to eat. The thought of it made her feel sick. She knew that the way she was shutting down was unfair on the baby but she didn't know what else to do. The time lady's injured hand was still healing, despite her accelerated ability to self repair; she could feel her skin tingling with pain and a strange numbness. Missy vaguely registered the Doctor speaking but the words became jumbled in her foggy mind; she watched out of the corner of her eye as he approached and crouched at her bed.

"Are you with me, Missy?" The Doctor tried again, kind eyes regarding her. The time lady nodded quickly as though if she didn't do it straight away, the movement wouldn't have been possible and she would be stuck in the thick mud again. She wanted the Doctor to know she was present, afraid he would leave her feeling stranded again, being submerged by the heavy mud that wanted to drag her down. The Doctor smiled, this was the most responsive she had been all day. "Good girl" he encouraged, smiling and watching her eyes stare back at him. The time lord didn't want to put words in the time lady's mouth, but he realised that asking her yes and no questions was more successful than trying to get her to describe things herself. "Today's a bad day, isn't it love?" He stated the obvious, watching her nod again.

Missy looked down at the Doctor's velvet jacket. Now it was colder, he had started to wear it again; the time lady couldn't help but reach out for the soft material with her unhurt hand. It reminded her of the version of him from all those years ago. The one that drove that silly yellow car and worked with the Brigadier. She had got to see him on so many occasions back in those days. It was beautiful. Back in the days when she wore all black and had a killer goatee. She'd loved that body, it had been her first male body since childhood and every new experience was exciting. It had also been her first time away from Gallifrey, she'd finally managed to track down her Theta after all the years of endless fighting in the Time War. She had escaped and found him. She would always follow him. Sinking her fingers into the welcoming velvet, Missy let herself be carried away by the comfort and nostalgia. A ghost of a smile crossed her lips as she remembered digging her fingers into a similar velvet jacket in different bodies and different circumstances, all those years ago.

The Doctor watched Missy reach for his jacket and relaxed at the smile that formed on her face. There was still pain on her features, but there was also the slightest hint of peace. A glimmer of hope for the Doctor and that was all he ever needed. That tiniest glimmer of hope. "It's soft, isn't it Missy?" He commented as the time lady continued to stroke the velvet methodically, clearly finding some comfort in the action. "Soft, yes, soft" Missy murmured, breaking her silence to the surprise of both her and the Doctor.

The Doctor smiled, seeing an opening and taking it. "Would you like to wear it? It'll keep you nice and warm" he said watching Missy look back up at him and nod with eager eyes. "Yes. I want to wear it. I like it" Missy said quietly, still not letting go of the jacket. It looked so warm and smelt of her Doctor. "Okay" he said, "you'll have to get out of bed to wear it though otherwise you'll be too hot." The Doctor watched as Missy retreated slightly, nervous about leaving her bed. "We won't leave the room just yet, just the bed" he reassured, unbuttoning his jacket and holding it out. Missy considered the proposition before reluctantly nodding and standing up.

The Doctor smiled encouragingly, placing the jacket over her shoulders and covering her pyjamas when she approached him. The jacket hung longer on her than it did on him, however, her rounded middle stopped them from being able to do it up. The Doctor watched as Missy held the lapel between the thumb and forefinger on her good hand and ran the pad of her finger along the smooth material. "It suits you" the Doctor laughed, watching Missy turn to him, expressionless. The time lady suddenly felt adrift without the comfort of her bed and looked around in a slight state of panic. "Come and sit down, love. You've done really well to get out of bed" he coaxed, approaching her with one of the chairs.

Missy sat in the chair and watched the Doctor sit opposite her; she continued to stroke the velvet in the same repetitive motion, enjoying the feeling of it on her skin. Without looking at the Doctor, she murmured "bad day today. I'm sorry." The time lord watched Missy and was surprised when she spoke on her own initiatve. "Don't apologise, bad days happen" he responded, watching as Missy's attention was drawn to her bandaged hand. "Does it hurt?" The Doctor asked, voice laced with concern. The time lady continued to look at her hand. Under the clear bandage, she could see blistered skin intertwining along the back of her hand. Turning her hand, there was a matching web of damaged flesh on her palm. Missy continued to inspect her hand as she contemplated the Doctor's question. It didn't hurt, per se, it tingled and she was just overly aware of it's presence. "Tingles" Missy said after a while, "Tingles and it's there." The Doctor nodded as Missy replied without looking away from her hand and responded in broken sentences. Broken sentences were better than nothing. "Do you remember how you hurt your hand?" The Doctor asked, watching Missy shake her head. "I remember you telling me how I hurt it but I can't remember actually hurting it" the time lady replied confirming the Doctor's belief that she had been under someone else's influence when the incident had happened.

The Doctor glanced at his watch and noticed it was now 4.30pm; he knew Kate and the others would be leaving at 5.00pm when Kate finished work and he wanted to get Missy downstairs before then. "It's not too bad out of bed, is it love?" The Doctor asked as he watched the time lady continue to stroke the velvet jacket. "Not too bad. No" she agreed and the Doctor smiled. "How's the baby feeling today, Missy? You haven't told me and I've missed my daily update on the little one." He continued, partly because he wanted her to keep talking and partly because he wanted to check how the baby was doing. At the moment, it wasn't just Missy he had to worry about when she got like this. The time lady squinted at him momentarily before understanding his words. "She's fine. She's moving around at the moment, you know how she gets at this time" Missy said, mind lighting up for the first time that day as she spoke of her unborn child. "Would you like to feel?" Missy offered quietly, uncurling and turning to face the Doctor who approached her carefully. "Always" he replied crouching and resting his palm against her stomach, letting the time lady guide him to the correct place. Missy found herself involuntarily flinching at his touch but quickly forced herself to settle. It was just the Doctor. Nothing to worry about, just Thete, she told herself.

The Doctor felt a strong kick against his hand and looked up to see Missy smiling at him. "She's so strong now" he commented, noting that the baby's movements had been becoming stronger each day; he felt a slight psychic connection reach out to him but it was warier than normal and clinging to it's mother's imprint. The Doctor imagined Missy's turn last night and behaviour since then had worried the infant. "I know" Missy said, exhaling deeply, "I wouldn't be surprised if she leaves internal bruising in there." The Doctor chuckled, pleased to hear Missy make a joke and continue talking with him. "She recognises you. I can feel that she does. I'm glad she does, I want her to recognise you. Can you feel her?" The time lady asked, tapping the side of her head. "I can feel her presence, but she's a bit nervous today. I think your behaviour last night and today has worried her a little" the Doctor said, the words leaving him before he had time to think of their consequences.

"I already feel guilty about that. Don't you think I've felt guilty all day?" Missy said pushing his hand away from her. The Doctor cringed, he hadn't meant it like that, although he might have mistakingly stumbled upon part of the reason for her behaviour today. "I didn't mean it like that, you don't need to feel guilty about last night. Is that why you've been feeling down today, Missy? You felt guilty that you'd scared the baby?" The time lord questioned, watching the other retreat back to stroking the velvet jacket. Missy nodded her head and the movement was over so quickly that the Doctor thought he'd imagined it. "That and other things" she whispered, pushing her thumb through the button hole of the jacket and fiddling with a loose thread. "What other things?" He pressed, wanting to know what was running through her mind. "Last night, I saw things that weren't there and I really, really thought they were real" she stated and the Doctor nodded pleased that, for now at least, she knew what had happened wasn't real. "Well, they were probably another tactic of the time lords, right?" The Doctor nodded again. Missy continued. "So, if they're in my head making me see things and they're also there with the tracker and there's the drums and the baby's presence where am I?" She asked, letting the thoughts that had been circling in her mind all day spill out. The Doctor furrowed his brows. "What do you mean, love?" He asked, thinking he understood her but wanting to hear her clarification. "They're taking over my mind. They can make me do what they want, make me see what they want me to see and can track me. In the meantime, I'm carrying the child they want me to carry. It's like I'm not me anymore, I'm just a vessel. A vessel for everything they want to do. I'm nothing" Missy sighed and the Doctor shook his head.

"No, sweetheart, never. You're still you. I promise you that, you're never nothing. They might be able to do all of those things to you but I know that at your core, you're still yourself" the time lord said watching Missy turn to him with tear rimmed eyes. "You promise?" She croaked, reaching out for him. "I promise you, Missy, I promise. You're never nothing, especially not to me" the Doctor reassured, enveloping her in his arms. "Is this what you've been thinking about all day, the reason you didn't want to get out of bed?" The Doctor asked, pushing her hair back and watching her nod. "Yes and that I felt guilty about scaring the baby and I didn't want to lose control of myself in front of you and Clara again. If I stay here, then I don't need to worry about that" Missy explained, feeling slightly better as all the worries that had been tormenting her all day left her. "Thank you for telling me what you've been thinking" the Doctor said genuinely, pleased to hear her talking openly with him. "Now, you don't need to worry about losing control in front of us. I'd really rather it happen while we were there so that we can help you. The baby isn't scared of you, Missy, she adores you, she's just worried about you" he said carefully, still holding her in his arms. "She doesn't know me properly, she can't adore me" Missy mumbled into the Doctor's chest. "Careful, Kos, you're bordering on self-pity" he joked, pleased when she gave a meek smile in return. "But of course she adores you, more than that she loves you and needs you. You're her mother. It's you that has been keeping her warm and safe and fed and letting her grow" the Doctor encouraged. "She may recognise me, but it's you she depends upon for everything in her little life" he continued, pausing and wondering whether or not he was pushing Missy too far. The time lady looked to be accepting what he was saying. "How can she not adore you when you've been doing such a good job at it?"

It was here that Missy scoffed. "If I was doing such a good job, I wouldn't have hurt my hand and stayed in bed all day trying to ignore her" she said, looking at the Doctor. "That wasn't your fault, love, hurting your hand. I know you didn't mean to do it. As for staying in bed all day, you hit a bump in the road. You're out of bed now, how about you come and have something to eat? Even if you're not hungry, have something small for the baby's sake" the Doctor suggested. Missy felt sick at his suggestion but knew she had to try at least for her daughter.

The time lady was about to respond when she saw the door open and Clara walk in mid conversation. "Kate will be on her way soon, Doctor. She text t-. Missy! You're up" the human broke off surprised to see the time lady out of bed and sat with the Doctor. Missy ducked away from Clara, looking back at the Doctor and tucking her head under his chin. "It's just Clara, love, don't worry" he soothed, sensing her anxiety rise again. "Did she say Kate was coming over?" Missy asked in Gallifreyan, the Doctor nodded in response. "Why?" Missy pressed, fearing he was going to send her back to UNIT hospital. "Are you going to make me go away?" She asked, again in Gallifreyan as the words caught in her throat. Clara couldn't understand what Missy was saying but could tell from her tone and the Doctor's reaction that it wasn't good. The Doctor shook his head, responding in English to be fair to Clara. "You're not going anywhere, sweetheart. I was due to see Kate anyway today and she said she'd come over so that we could rest in the house" he explained, watching Missy relax. He knew he had to be honest with her and let her know that Dr Chang and Me would be there to observe her behaviour and see if they could figure out what the time lords were playing at. Both of the humans had seen the inside of the operation and might have been able to link it to last night's incident.

"Missy" the Doctor started "Dr Chang and Me will be coming as well. They want to see how you're doing" the time lord blurted out, watching Missy nod and begin to count something on her fingers. "But I'm not due for another check up until the end of next week, when I have the 32 weeks scan" the time lady said. Missy had gotten used to the check ups with Dr Chang but only when she knew there was a scan due. The idea of him coming around to check up on her unannounced was not something she liked the sounds of. "That's right and this won't be a check up like that, he just wants to watch how you're doing to see if they can do anything about what happened yesterday and see if they can do anything to prevent it from happening in the future" the Doctor explained calmly, surprised when Missy accepted it without further explanation. After a few minutes thought, the time lady spoke again. "Will Daisy be coming, too?" She asked hopefully. The Doctor smiled, "if you come downstairs with Clara and I and have a wee bite to eat, I'm sure we can arrange for Daisy to come around too."

Theta had to admit that it was nice to be out in the fresh air. With the suns high in the sky and a cool breeze gently hitting his skin, it was hard to remember exactly why he had felt so bad last week. "Go on, you know you want to say it" Koschei said, her voice sounding light and carefree as it reached his ears. Looking down at the time lady, he was met with her triumphant expression. She always pulled smug off so very well, Theta often wondered if she'd ever manage to grow out of it. In her arms, Maisa wriggled in the sling that held her and Theta couldn't help but roll his eyes. The toddler was far too big for it now, but he knew Koschei couldn't bear to see her baby growing up. The petite time lady looked ridiculous carrying the girl in the device made for a much younger time tot. "You were right" the time lord confessed, returning to the matter at hand and hearing Koschei hum appreciatively. "It is nice to be out. Thank you for coming." Koschei nodded.

The pair carried on walking towards the forest, Koschei carrying Maisa and Theta carrying a picnic hamper. Koschei and Maisa had been staying with Theta for nearly a week now and Theta was slowly returning to his old self. A few day previous, Cilinzia had said she understood that Koschei was helping him but that she needed to go away while the other time lady was there. Subsequently, the old school friends had had the house to themselves and had both been enjoying the time together. Today, as the weather had been so nice, they had decided to take a picnic out to the woods close to Theta's house. Maisa had been climbing the walls following two days of rain and Theta was surprisingly receptive to the idea of venturing outside. Particularly given the remote destination that Koschei had suggested, making bumping into anyone they might recognise highly unlikely.

"Mama, food please. I'm hungry" Maisa whined, fidgeting in her mother's arms. Theta watched Koschei struggle with the toddler, readjusting her in her arms. He rolled his eyes again. For a time lord as strong willed as Koschei, it was strange to see her pander to the will of a toddler so much. It had always been the way, though. "We're nearly there little pea. See those trees over there? That's where we're going" the time lady said, trying to point in the general direction of the forest, "you can have some food then." Theta kicked some pebbles as he walked along, listening to the battle of wills that followed between mother and daughter. "I can't see mama, higher" Maisa said, "You'll see in a minute. It's not far darling" Koschei countered. "Banana now, mama" the toddler argued, "no, it's not much further. You can have it in a minute." Maisa pouted, having lost this particular battle. It was an action that scarily mirrored her mother's expressions and gave Theta a glimpse into Maisa's teenage years.

"You know" Theta said out of the corner of his mouth as the pair walked along and Maisa sulked into her mother's shoulder, "she really is far too big for you to carry around in that sling. Haven't you had that since she was loomed?" Koschei raised her eyebrows at him. "You are feeling better if you're questioning my parenting" she retorted. "Anyway, she can't walk properly yet. We'd take a week to get there if I didn't have this" she said, watching as Maisa turned her head knowing she was being spoken about. "I'm not saying she has to walk, just get a pushchair or something. You'll have the back of a 1,000 year old before Maisa's two if you carry on like this!" Theta laughed, half joking as Koschei pouted in the same way as her daughter. "I'm buying one soon. I just like having her close" Koschei admitted, placing a kiss on the toddler's head. Wispy hair tickled the time lady's nose as she inhaled the soapy smell of her daughter. Theta nodded, knowing how long Koschei had longed for her daughter. He went to reply to his friend when Maisa giggled and stopped him in his tracks. "Mama's not 1,000 uncle Thete. That's silly" she said. Theta looked down at the toddler and smacked his forehead playfully. "You're right, silly me, I forgot" he teased. "It's you that's 1,000. Your mama's actually 7,000. She might even be 8,000- she never would tell me her age." Theta stage whispered, causing Maisa to laugh even more. Theta smiled as the girl laughed but felt guilty when he saw Koschei struggling to keep the laughing toddler in the sling.

"Right, come here you, would you like a ride on my shoulders? Then you'll definitely see the trees. We really are nearly there now" Theta said, scooping Maisa out of Koschei's arms and onto his shoulders. The toddler squealed in delight while Koschei protested in worry. "Theta" she hissed, "be careful with her. She's not a toy." Theta settled the toddler on his shoulders, looking down at Koschei and passing her the picnic hamper. "She's also not made of glass, Kos. You're fine up there, aren't you Maisa?" The time lord asked, feeling Maisa's hand grab onto his hair. The toddler smiled broadly at Koschei, "it's fun up here mama" she exclaimed while the time lady kept a cautious eye on the girl. "Okay, little pea, just make sure you hold on tight."

The three made it to the woods soon after and found a quiet spot to set up their picnic. It was shaded from the unforgiving sun and had a free section of grass for Maisa to play on. The toddler was quietly picking flowers and playing with her blanket as she sat just out of ear shot of the two time lords. "You're doing okay now?" Koschei said between sips of blackcurrant juice as she watched Maisa playing. Theta nodded, slipping an arm around Koschei's waist and running his thumb along her hip bone. "I am now. Thanks to you" he said. "I had a slip up, but I'm back on track." Koschei nodded, moving her hand to rest over his. "It happens. But I'm glad to hear you're back on the right track" she replied before sighing as she watched her daughter pick up a worm and a handful of mud. She knew that look on her daughter's face. "Maisa, don't eat that" she warned watching the girl scowl and drop the wriggling worm. Theta laughed. "She's inquisitive" he commented. "hmm" Koschei said, "she's something." Maisa returned to fiddling with the flowers and strands of grass while the time lords returned to their conversation. "I'm going to have to leave soon" Koschei said regretfully, feeling Theta tense. "Yimin's is off work and he needs to spend some time with Maisa before he returns. It's not fair on him to see so little of her" she explained. "I know. I really do appreciate you coming" Theta replied, chuckling as he watched Maisa stumble onto her padded behind as she waddled around in search of new flowers. He felt Koschei tense and move to coddle the toddler. Leave her, she's fine he told the time lady telepathically. Koschei reluctantly held back, watching as her daughter righted herself and carried on as though nothing had happened. See she felt Theta project and she didn't need to turn around to know he was smiling smugly.

"Are you going to be okay when I leave?" Koschei asked eventually. "I'll be fine. I'll miss you both, but I'll be fine" Theta reassured. A bird flew overhead and caught both of their attentions. "Come and visit. You haven't been to my part of town for ages. Come and slum it with the out-laws" Koschei said, nodding encouragingly at Maisa as she pointed at the bird that was now nesting in the tree above them. "I will. I certainly have more time now I've been let go from the Academy" Theta said with a hint of sadness. Koschei tutted, "don't think about that. You're too good for them. Seriously, though, have you thought about what you're going to do now?" She asked, keen to know what his plans were. Omega knows, he's not the type of man that can have too much time on his hands.

"Well, I've got a few ideas" he said mystically, "I won't have anything to do with the war effort and at the moment almost every workplace is to do with the war effort." Koschei nodded, "of course you won't, you're a natural pacifist dear. So, if you won't be taking up any new job what are these ideas you have?" she asked, intrigued. "I'm sure you noticed the loom in the downstairs bedroom" Theta started, watching Koschei turn her head in interest and nod at his assumption. Of course she'd noticed it. It was hard not to notice the delicate crafting of a new time tot. All that temporal energy and psychic mess of a new loomling floating around. "It's not mine and Cilinzia's before you ask. Unza and his wife are starting a family but it's not ideal for the time tot to be loomed in the Capitol. Not with how things are at the moment. Of course, it's not ideal for it to be loomed away from its parents but its better than the alternative." Koschei nodded in agreement. "I sensed it on my first night. You're going to be a grandfather then" she commented nonchalantly, "when did you get so old?" Theta shoved her playfully, "we're the same age and you've still got that little handful to raise" he said as they watched Maisa half walk and half crawl into her mother's lap. She was getting tired now, the fresh air really did work wonders Koschei thought as the toddler curled up against her and yawned. "Hmm. Well a few decades in prisons and hospitals kind of left me playing catch up" Koschei said with a bitter edge to her voice. She knew she was an older mother and it was a sore point. "You're not playing catch up" Theta placated, "there's a right time for everything and this is the right time for you to be a mother. It just so happens that this is the right time for me to be a grandfather." Koschei nodded, stroking back Maisa's curls as the girl clung to her middle and rested there halfway between being awake and asleep. "So that's your plan then, raise Unza's child away from the war? Is that what you're planning on doing with you life now" she asked, curious as to how it was going to work. Theta was an idealist but he was never very good with the finer details of a plan. "Yes, something good can come from all this evil" he said, watching Maisa's eyes droop shut.

"But not just that, I'm going to steal a Tardis and I'm going to get out of here and see the universe. I'll take my family with me, you and your family should come too- what's the point of hanging around on a sinking ship? All of time and space, Kos, it's all waiting" Theta enthused, eyes wide as he spoke of his plans like an excited school boy. He sounded like he'd made himself a catchphrase. Koschei didn't mean to but she couldn't stop herself from laughing at him. Her stomach shook as she laughed and it briefly woke Maisa up, causing the toddler to look up indignantly at her mother. "Sorry, little pea, go back to sleep" she soothed looking back at Theta who was turning red as she continued to laugh. "I don't mean to laugh, Thete, but sometimes you really do have your head in the clouds" she consoled, getting her laughter under control. "I'm serious, though, Kos" he said sternly and the time lad softened. "Right, well in the meantime, dear, do make sure you visit. Especially with your grandchild when they're loomed. Maisa would love a little time tot to play with."

Kate accepted the cup of tea from the Doctor with a smile and watched the time lord sit down next to Clara on the sofa. All of them glanced at the table at the end of the lounge where Missy and Daisy were sat colouring in together. At the other end of the table, Dr Chang and Me were sat whispering to each other and writing notes. The Doctor tried to ignore that scene. "Thanks for bringing Daisy, Kate. This is exactly what Missy needed" the Doctor said drawing his eyes away from the time lady. "That's okay. Daisy's been asking to see her all week" Kate said, pleased that her daughter had an inset day the following day when she realised it was already 8pm. "I never realised how good she was with children" Clara commented casually as she watched the time lady lean over Daisy and help her with something on her drawing. Missy still looked pale and unsure of herself but playing with Daisy was enough to take her mind off things for a while. The Doctor smiled at the scene. "You should have seen her when we were on Gallifrey. She spoiled my children and then when she had her daughter, well her whole world stopped. Maisa was her universe" he said sadly, looking over at Missy to make sure she hadn't heard him mention her daughter. "She's always been good with children, never has managed to grow up herself. It's the adult populations she's struggled with" the time lord added watching Missy look back at him hesitantly.

"Doctor?" She called out and he crossed the short distance to the table. Dr Chang and Me exchanged glances and scrutinised the time lady's movements. The Doctor knew they were trying to help but he wished they weren't treating her like a lab rat. "Are you okay, love?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, I just wanted to check you were here still. Can you sit with me please?" She asked, watching the Doctor take a seat next to her. Daisy watched the scene curiously. Missy was acting stranger than normal tonight. Her mum had told her Missy wasn't feeling very well tonight but the young girl had thought that meant she had a cold or something similar. Daisy had been surprised to see Missy with a bandaged hand, acting so quiet and asking for the Doctor every ten minutes. She couldn't understand it. "What have we been doing here then?" The Doctor asked Daisy, catching onto the girl's confusion as he looked at her drawing. "Missy showed me how to write my name in another language" the girl said proudly. "Did she?" the Doctor said looking at the child's rough attempt at Gallifreyan writing. The Doctor smiled fondly when he noticed it was the simplistic form of Gallifreyan they'd been taught as children. "That looks excellent, Daisy. Why don't you show your mum?" He praised, watching the girl walk over to Kate and show off her work. Looking over at Missy's paper, he read out the more elegant swirls of complex Gallifreyan. The time lady had written Maisa's name followed by the date she was loomed and the date she died. "Yours is lovely too" he said softly, tracing the swirls of the words on the paper. Missy didn't reply. "Have you been thinking about her?" He asked tentatively, feeling Dr Chang and Me watching them. Missy obviously felt the weight of their eyes as well and side eyed them cautiously as she sat tight lipped. She wasn't going to talk about Maisa while two earthlings were gawping and noting her every move. The Doctor tapped her thigh understandingly, running his thumb along her cotton pyjama bottoms before turning to the observing humans. "I think you've probably seen enough for today. Would you give us a moment?" the time lord said diplomatically. Dr Chang nodded and went to move away from the table while Me held back. The woman looked as though she was set to say something but stopped when she caught sight of the Doctor's face. Yes, they needed to discuss whatever was happening, but right now, Missy was settled. There had been enough observations for today. Me moved away from the table catching sight of Missy's writing, her eyes lingered for a second. The time lady, knowing Me could read Gallifreyan, grabbed the piece of paper quickly and held it tightly to her chest. Me bowed her head and glanced away. Missy's message had been clear enough.

The Doctor turned back to Missy and held his hand out for the paper. Reluctantly, the time lady placed it in his waiting palms. "It really is beautiful, love. I can see you've worked hard on that." It sounded patronising, but the words were honest. The elegant swirls were like calligraphy and it was clear that every etch had been worked on until perfect. It always surprised the Doctor when he saw the Master produce something so beautiful, something that had clearly been worked hard on. It shouldn't have, she had always been like this. In recent years, however, her capacity to create something beautiful got lost under her capacity to create destruction. In a way, though, the Doctor pondered, her meticulous perfectionism had never truly been lost. It just manifested itself in chaos and entropy. "I can make one for your three now, if you like" Missy said, drawing the Doctor's eyes away from the picture and back to the time lady. She still looked vacant, but the colour was slowly returning to her cheeks and there was now something other than fear behind her eyes. "That would be lovely" the Doctor responded, watching as she retrieved a fresh piece of paper and some pencils. He hadn't thought she'd meant literally now, but let her carry on. It was clearly helping take her mind off things. "Okay" the time lady said, spreading the pencils out neatly in front of her and picking one up. "But just the children. Not Cilinzia, I'm not doing one for Yimin" she said, causing the Doctor to nod. "Just the children" he echoed.

The Doctor watched as Missy lightly sketched the beginnings of a 'U' into the snow white paper. Resting his hand on her lower back, he tried again with his questioning. "So you've been thinking about Maisa?" He pried gently. It wasn't gently enough as he felt the time lady tense and saw her pencil snap as she dug deeply into the sheet. An angry grey line ran across the sheet and Missy hissed a Gallifreyan expletive. "I need to start again" she said looking down at the paper critically. "No you don't, here use this rubber" he guided, passing her the white rectangle. "No. It needs to be perfect" she said scrunching the offending paper into a ball and reaching for a new sheet. The Doctor sighed and watched as she restarted the "U", this time with a steadier and slower hand. Missy finished the first half of the name, all the while working on calming herself when she finally answered the question. "I've been thinking about her" the time lady said without looking back at the Doctor. "I've been thinking about her a lot. I'm sorry" she added, flicking the 'A' elegantly before starting on the dates.

"Don't apologise, you're allowed to think about her. I'm pleased you are" the Doctor responded, deciding to let her lead the conversation. "I'm not sorry for thinking about her" Missy said, beginning to add colour to the lettering, "I'm sorry for laughing when you first told me about your plans to get away and steal a Tardis" she clarified, thinking over her initial reaction all those centuries ago. The Doctor clicked his teeth, continuing to run his thumb along her lower back. "Everyone laughed, not just you" he said, adding "it was madness." At this, Missy did turn around and face him. "But I was mad. I shouldn't have laughed, I should have listened to you" she insisted and before the Doctor had realised it, they were heading down a well-worn path that was never worth exploring. Yet, they always explored it. "Don't do this, Missy" he warned futilely as the time lady continued her dangerous game of 'what if'. "If I'd listened to you and not laughed, then I could have come with you. Maisa could have been saved, your children and Yimin and Cilinzia. They could all still be here" the time lady exclaimed, reciting an age old thought. The Doctor shook his head sadly and recited his part. "The war came quicker than any of us could have imagined. They were all dead long before I got the Tardis. The only one left was young Susan" the time lord watched as Missy accepted the lines as she always eventually did. "Why did we have to survive, though?" She asked, voice barely above a whisper. This was was off script. The Doctor faltered for a second before replying as honestly as he could. "I don't know, Kos, but we're here and we have to do their memories justice by surviving." Missy nodded and returned to the drawing while the Doctor pushed back the survivor's guilt he battled everyday.


	31. Chapter Thirty-one

The evening had passed quickly and before anyone was aware, it was fast approaching 11.30pm. Me and Dr Chang had left several hours before hand. The immortal had agreed with the Doctor that Missy's latest hallucinations were probably the result of new Time Lord techniques and informed him that she would be in contact with her informants on Gallifrey to try and establish a plan of action. For his part, Dr Chang believed that Missy was doing well, physically speaking. The baby seemed to be developing well and the Time Lady's hand was healing accordingly; he did express concern for Missy's mental wellbeing and requested that the Doctor did not hesitate in using sedatives if she became unsettled as it would be better in the long run for everyone involved. Other than that, the young doctor had said he was happy with how things were going and he would look forward to seeing them both at the scan next week. Both Me and Dr Chang, while caring about what was happening for different reasons, struggled to socialise with the Time Lords in the way that Clara and Kate did. It wasn't personal, it was just that both liked to get on with the task in hand and that was that. Once the pair had left, the group fell into a more relaxed atmosphere; chatting and playing card games.

Missy had remained on the periphery of the activity, still unsure of herself and being around others. Halfway through the evening, she had retreated back to the table and back into the sketching, finding solace in the repetitive actions and the escapism it allowed. Daisy had fallen to sleep in her mother's lap about an hour ago, lightly snoring as Kate ran her fingers through the girl's blonde hair as she continued chatting. "I'm a terrible mother. She shouldn't be out at this time, if her father could see this he would have a field day" Kate laughed shaking her head. "Oh, please, it's a teacher training day tomorrow. She's fine" Clara said before taking a sip of tea and adding animatedly, "I'm a teacher, so that's an official blessing from the education system." The brunette laughed, chocolate eyes bright with mirth while the Doctor rolled his eyes at her, "I'm not sure that's how it works. But, Kate, she is fine and she cheered Missy up this evening" he said gratefully, looking over at the table where Missy remained fixated on her drawings. He sighed, he'd have to stop her soon before she became too obsessive about them.

Kate found herself following the Doctor's gaze to Missy; she knew that he was worried about the Time Lady but she also knew she had to think of a way that she could address the topic of Gordon as tactfully as possible. In recent weeks, the faction leader had developed unexplained injuries. Toxicology reports indicated high levels of sedatives and poisonous drugs that were doing just enough to damage him internally and cause excruciating pain, but not enough to kill him. Following procedure, Kate had organised investigations into how Gordon's injures had been sustained. Thorough interviews with employees working closely with Gordon or on the case had ruled out everyone within UNIT. To Kate, it left only one feasible explanation: Missy. The Time Lady had had spent enough time at HQ to know her way around the premises. Additionally, she had the strength and knowledge needed to bring Gordon close enough to death without actually killing him.

Now Kate had to bring the topic up with the Doctor. Before Missy's episode the previous day, Kate was relaxed about the matter; Missy had been doing well over the past few weeks and it would have been easy to discuss things calmly with both Time Lords. As Missy's stability had decreased, however, the Doctor's protectiveness sky rocketed. If the woman were to bring up the issue of Gordon with Missy this evening, she doubts she would get an understandable response. In turn, the Doctor was equally unlikely to react positively to any accusations thrown at his friend.

Glancing down at her daughter still sleeping in her lap, Kate decided to bite the bullet. "Doctor" she said, barely above a whisper, "there were a few other things I'd wanted to discuss with you." The Doctor looked away from Missy and back towards Kate. Clara too looked up, intrigued. The woman looked serious and her tone had taken one greatly different from her earlier light heartedness. "Okay" the Doctor replied steadily, "can we talk about it here or should we go into the next room?" He asked looking at both Daisy and Missy, eyebrows raised. Missy remained unmoving at the table, seemingly not noticing the conversation while Daisy remained fast asleep. It seemed unlikely that they would need to leave the room. "No, no that won't be necessary" Kate said, almost as though she had read his thoughts. The Doctor nodded and sat down, brushing down his jeans as he did and then opening his arms wide in a gesture inviting Kate to speak. "It's about Gordon" Kate started, causing the Doctor to instinctively look over to Missy and finding himself surprised when the Time Lady didn't so much as flinch. At the table, Missy heard the faction leader's name, but worked to keep a calm exterior. Kate must have discovered the man's injuries, it had taken long enough. "Over recent weeks, he's developed suspicious injuries and illness that only corresponds to deliberate actions. We've had an investigation into possible perpetrators and all avenues on our end have been exhausted" the blonde finished explaining the situation and watched the Doctor nod thoughtfully. "Okay and" the Doctor prompted, guessing where Kate was going with this but wanting her to spell it out. "Well the only logical explanation for his injuries left would be that Missy caused them" Kate finished, this time all three looking back at Missy and again seeing no acknowledgement of the conversation. Missy felt their eyes on her and almost managed a smirk. Almost. She still felt a bit distant to actually relish in her work. In the meantime, the drawing was managing to keep her mind settled at the mention of Gordon.

The Doctor sighed at Missy's apparent lack of response and the urgent speed that her drawing had taken. The Time Lord knew he would have to force her to stop soon. Shaking his head as though the action could stop his thoughts, he addressed Kate. "It probably was" he shrugged, "she's gone off alone over the last few weeks and I haven't known where. Have any of your employees been injured?" He asked, unable to hide his lack of concern for Gordon's wellbeing. Kate shook her head, "it's only Gordon that's been harmed" she added. The Doctor coughed, "I see. Well, can you blame her? You've seen what he's done to her, Kate, I'm afraid I find it hard to condemn her actions. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same to him myself" the Doctor stated calmly, for once not despising the Mistress' actions. In this instance, he understood what she had done.

Kate bowed her head in acknowledgment. "What Gordon did was wrong, I know that. I completely understand why Missy would hurt him. However, having a prisoner sustain injuries like Gordon has while in our custody is damaging for UNIT. It could lose people their jobs, Doctor, their livelihoods. Also, I've seen the Master when they lose their temper, I'm not talking about calculated evil, I'm talking about seeing red anger. I've seen it and my father has warned me about it in the past. If she is in the throes of such violence, which she would be when dealing with Gordon, then there is no guarantee that there won't be collateral damage. I've told you from the start of this, Doctor, I will not have my staffs' lives at risk" Kate explained levelly. The Doctor had to agree with her logic there; he wouldn't want to see anyone lose their jobs even less so would he want to see an innocent bystander injured. "Okay, I see your point" he relented, "let me have a quiet chat with her. I won't have all of us going at her guns blazing. In the grand scheme of things, she is the victim of all of this Kate."

The head of UNIT nodded, happy with the agreed arrangement and then glanced at her watch. "I really should get going. It's late" she said, growing aware of how late it had become. Sure, both her and Daisy were off tomorrow but she still didn't want Daisy too unsettled. "You should stay here tonight. It'll save waking Daisy up and mean you won't have to drive home tired" Clara exclaimed, looking between Kate and the Doctor. It sounded to the Doctor like an excellent plan. They had the space and it was surely better than waking Daisy and letting Kate drive back at this time. Anyway, Missy enjoyed being around Daisy and would possibly be more receptive if Daisy was around. "I think that's a great idea" he concurred, "what would your father say if I let you drive home at this time when you're tired?" the Doctor laughed when Kate went to protest. The head of UNIT relented, actually grateful that she wouldn't have to drive. Her son was at a friend's house all evening and she had no reason to rush home. "Well, if you're sure, I'm going to take her upstairs now" Kate said smiling and standing up with a groan. Daisy was harder to carry now than she had been when she was younger and she so rarely had to carry her like this anymore. The young girl stirred slightly in her sleep, "mum?" She muttered as Kate brushed her hair down. "Yes, darling, it's me. We're going upstairs to bed" Kate said softly, heading out of the room.

The interaction between mother and daughter caught the attention of Missy who turned just slightly away from the table to watch Time Lady had been vaguely aware of what was going on in the lounge but had blocked it out. Drawing the ancient Gallifreyan swirls had helped settle her mind and distract her from thinking about anything else. She had heard their discussions, heard Me and Dr Chang leave and heard Kate agree to stay the night but it had all been background noise, happening somewhere far away. It was when Daisy had woken up and Kate had soothed her back to sleep that Missy's attention had been drawn back to reality. The scene hurt. It hurt hard. To Missy, it seemed like just yesterday that that was her and Maisa but so much time had passed. This whole civilisation hadn't existed in the days that she cradled Maisa back to sleep. The Time Lady watched on nostalgically as she felt the baby's presence buzz back in her mind and felt it kick against her sides; instinctively she dropped her hand to her abdomen and stroked her thumb along her bump as she watched Kate and Daisy retreat out of the room.

The Doctor looked over at Missy, noticing that the interaction had caught her attention. "Daisy's staying the night. Won't that be nice, Missy?" The Doctor asked the Time Lady, hoping to keep her her attention away from the obsessive drawing. Missy looked back over at the Doctor blindly, not really seeing him but seeing images of Maisa as a toddler. She nodded in spite of herself, knowing that the Doctor had asked a question and would want a response. The Doctor watched her vacant expression and guessed at what she was thinking about; he approached her slowly and smiling as he reached out his hand to her. "Come and sit with Clara and I, Missy. I think that's enough drawing for one night" he said watching her make to turn back to the table and placing a hand on her shoulder. Missy froze under his touch and stared up at the Doctor. Again, she nodded not entirely sure of what she was agreeing to; between focusing on the sketching and thinking about Maisa she'd lost grip on reality and found herself stranded in the vast white space of nothingness.

The Time Lady felt the Doctor help her up and lead her into the living room. With each step she grappled internally to find words to communicate and claw her way back into the land of the living. As she sat down, sinking into the soft cushions, she managed to grab hold of one of her floating thoughts and vocalise it. "What are we doing?" She asked quickly while the words were within her reach, as she stretched her hand that had started to cramp from the extensive sketching and studied the grey smudge that had formed along her little finger. In the dimmed light of the living room, it shimmered and looked almost silver. "We're just sitting in the lounge" the Doctor replied. Noting how absent she seemed as he took the seat next to her, the Time Lord placed a hand on her knee in an attempt to help ground her.

The vocalisation of her thoughts and the Doctor's touch did help to ground her further and made Missy remain focused and away from the vast white nothingness. "Okay" the Time Lady agreed, blinking. "It got late. I lost track of time" she muttered looking over at Clara and back down into her lap. "I think we all lost track of time, Missy" the teacher said softly, watching the Time Lady curiously. Missy's eyes were wide and startled and she looked as though she'd been drawn straight out of another world and placed into this one. Clara thought the Time Lady's expression looked akin to that of a reader that had just finished a book they were fully immersed in and was now taking their first steps back into reality.

The teacher found herself musing over Missy's last few days, between the hallucinations and the withdrawal, the Time Lady had been treading a thin line between what was real and what was not. It would be good to get her back into the real world for a while Clara thought before voicing her ideas. "Seen as though we're all free tomorrow, won't it be nice to go out and do something?" Clara suggested, watching Missy and the Doctor glance over at her. "That sounds like a good idea. It'll be nice to get out, what do you think Missy?" The Time Lord asked Missy, running his thumb along her knee watching as she nodded pensively and bit her lip. "Is Daisy going to come too?" She asked eventually, looking up. She wanted the girl to come along, she enjoyed spending time with her. It was always easier to push the dark thoughts out of her mind when she was with Daisy. It had been the same all those centuries ago when she had spent time with Theta's children and then with her own daughter.

"I should think so, she has a day off from school. We can all go out together. It'll be good to get out of the house" the Doctor confirmed watching Missy nod, smiling slightly before scrunching her eyes shut and cradling her head in her hands. What was she doing? Looking forward to a day out with humans on Earth. It was ridiculous, she was supposed to be the Master. She was acting more like a lobotomised version of herself. The Time Lady let out a groan before sitting back up. Clara leaned forward full of concern while the Doctor mirrored her actions next to Missy. "What's wrong, Missy? Is it Rassilon again?" The Doctor pressed, watching her clenched fist cling to the jacket tails. "No, no. Not Rassilon. This...All of this is so human." She spat, glaring at Clara, whether intentionally or unintentionally she couldn't be sure. "This isn't me...Looking forward to a day out, I feel like I've been tamed."

The Doctor reached for her clenched fist, encasing it in his own hands. "Missy" he said firmly, "look at me" he said waiting for the Time Lady to look up at him. "They- the Time Lords and Rassilon- want to do this to you, they want you to feel human and know it'll make you feel shit" he said, hoping to make her understand. "You were looking forward to going out with all of us before, I saw that you were. Enjoy it, Kos, don't let them win" the Doctor continued when he saw no change in Missy's outlook. "But, I shouldn't enjoy this, I shouldn't" the Time Lady muttered and the Doctor could feel her fist trying to free itself from his grasp; he let her hand go but continued to smile at her reassuringly. "You should enjoy it, love. Anyway, going out for the day with Daisy and Clara and Kate isn't that different from when we used to go out with the children. Do you remember when me and you used to go out for the day with my kids?" The Doctor questioned, falling short of saying it was the days after Koschei's release from her first stint in prison and he was trying help her re-immerse back into life outside.

Missy found herself smiling subconsciously at the memory. She did remember those days out with Thete and Cilinzia and their children; those days going to the parks or the woods or the beaches had been the days she lived for, they were the reason she got out of bed in the first few months after her release. "When we went to the parks and we fed the animals. Rilni was so small still and you and Cilinzia let me carry her" Missy reminisced while the Doctor nodded encouragingly. She'd been so careful while holding Rilni; no one had ever trusted her with something so precious. "That's right, you enjoyed those days," Missy nodded in agreement. Clara listened to the conversation intently, an idea forming in her mind as she reached for her I Pad that was resting on the coffee table. "Well tomorrow will be like those days. You didn't think it was too human or that you shouldn't enjoy it back then. What do you say, sweetheart?" The Time Lord negotiated, watching Missy come around to the idea.

"Okay. I can enjoy it. We'll all go out together" Missy stated slowly. It was clear she was still struggling to gain a footing in reality. "Where will we go?" She questioned, blinking a few times and feeling the baby move again. She felt everything so much more while she was in this strange drifting state. The Doctor watched the Time Lady anxiously, her strange mood was evident and he was beginning to wonder if it was time for her to go back to sleep; before he could voice his concerns, Clara interjected passing the I Pad to Missy. "Well, actually, hearing you two talk about how you used to go to parks and things got me thinking" the woman began. "That's Richmond Park, Missy" she added, watching the Doctor move to look over the Time Lady's shoulder at the screen. "It's only about a twenty minute drive from here and the weather's supposed to be nice tomorrow, so I thought we could go there. Daisy could feed the deer and then we could go and have something to eat at one of the cafés" Clara suggested. "That looks good. What do you think Missy?" The Doctor asked watching the Time Lady nod, "Daisy told me she liked animals. She'll like feeding those" Missy replied, pointing at the deers pictured on the screen. The Doctor smiled, taking that as confirmation that the Time Lady was happy with the plan. "Right, it sounds like we have our plan then" the Doctor announced looking between Missy and Clara.

The three stayed talking about the next day's plans for a little while when Clara decided to head off to bed, leaving the two Time Lords alone. Missy had felt herself start to feel better, better in fact than she had felt all day, so when the Doctor asked her if she wanted to go to bed she had been honest in replying that she wasn't tired. The Doctor had accepted her answer, she had after all, been in bed all day it would be unsurprising that she was not tired. He did, however, want to talk to her about Gordon and let her have some time to relax before the next day, even if she wasn't going to actually sleep. "How about a bath, Kos?" He suggested after some deliberation, standing up and offering to help Missy up.

The Time Lady agreed, a bath did sound inviting, she found herself thinking as she followed the Doctor out of the room and up the stairs. "A lovely warm bath. I can have a look at your hand and change the dressing" the Doctor spoke gently, the words reaching Missy's ears and providing a grounding for the Time Lady as they rounded the corner towards the bathroom. "Yes" Missy replied, closing the door as quietly as possible so as not to wake any of the sleeping humans. "Can we have a bath together?" She asked suddenly as she shrugged off the velvet jacket and began to rid herself of the pyjamas; leaving a pile of discarded clothes scattered across the floor . The Doctor, who was crouched at the bath, turned around surprised; he had no qualms about sharing a bath with Missy, they had done more times than either could remember over the years, he was just surprised because it was the first time that Missy had wanted to share a bath since everything that had happened and during the pregnancy. Even around him she had been guarded and self conscious, so her request had shocked him, still he knew to respond quickly so as not to discourage her. "Of course we can" he responded with a smile as the bath started to fill up and he made to unbutton his own shirt. "As long as you're comfortable with that, Missy" he checked as the Time Lady nodded and lowered herself into the bath. "I'm feeling a lot better and I want to talk about some things" she said pensively as the Doctor eased into the bath behind her, bracketing her between his legs. "I'd rather not feel like an invalid or a child that you have to bathe" she added. "I've told you, we can talk about anything you want at any stage" he reassured, running a flannel along her back, wringing it out and starting to unwrap her bandaged hand. He ignored her comment about feeling like an invalid. "Anyway, for once we're in agreement, I wanted to talk to you about a few things too" he said, smiling as he saw her burns healing well.

Missy willed herself to relax as she felt the Doctor un-bandage her hand. He wanted to talk to her. No doubt it was about Gordon. "You go first, you're about to give me a bollocking about Gordon" she said, leaning against his chest and batting his fingers away from her injured hand; he did fuss ever so much. "So it was you" the Doctor said rather redundantly, they both knew it was Missy. It was the first time, however, that he had heard her mention Gordon's name. It gave him some hope. Hope that one day she would recover from all of this. The fact that she hadn't killed or hurt anyone other than Gordon gave him a different kind of hope; one that he should have given up years ago. The Time Lady still nodded in response to the Doctor's statement, the tips of her hair dangling into the water and darkening as they dampened. "I'm not going to give you a bollocking" the Doctor mimicked in response, but slightly softer than he would have in normal circumstances. "I can understand why you did what you did" he continued, gathering her hair and securing it on the top of her head with a discarded clip from the edge of the bath. Missy purred, she'd always enjoyed having her hair played with and he'd always managed to do it so well. "But you can't do that again" the Doctor added, sensing her roll her eyes even though he couldn't see her.

"Why is that?" Missy questioned as she pulled her knees up into a hug. "Afraid I'll hurt your humans" she added with a hum as her eyes glanced over her burnt hand. It was healing well, it no longer looked as angry as the previous day and the redness had dimmed to just a shrivelled, translucent blistering. That was something, the Time Lady thought to herself. "No. I'm proud of you actually. I know you didn't hurt anyone else" the Doctor said, causing Missy to scoff. "Don't go getting fanciful ideas about me turning good" she tutted, skimming her fingers along her shins and up her thighs. The Doctor caught sight of the scratches and cuts that lined her arms; he hadn't noticed them under all her layers of clothes, when had she hurt her arms again? He thought to himself, resolving not to ask her now. One issue at a time. "I know not to think like that" the Time Lord acknowledged her earlier statement, "but I am allowed say I'm proud of you when you do something good. Good people aren't always good and bad people aren't always bad, Missy." The Time Lady released a low chuckle, the vibrations sent waves through the water. "Did you ever get a degree in human philosophy, Doctor? I forget all your subjects and wells of wisdom. You sound like you're reading from textbook 101 of an introductory course, though" Missy said, voice tinged with humour. "Actually, no. Philosophy is one of the degrees I don't have, it's more of a hobby" the Doctor replied seriously. "Show off" Missy stated breezily, "oh please, you have more degrees than I do and we both know it" the Time Lord said watching Missy nod smugly.

"So, why can't I carry on hurting Gor-" she started, coughed and corrected herself, "him. Why can't I hurt him anymore?" Missy re-iterated the question, attempting to bring the conversation back on track. "People at UNIT could lose their jobs, Missy, that's their livelihoods" the Doctor started, echoing Kate's earlier words. Missy hummed, caring little for the livelihoods of any humans and waiting for the Doctor to continue. She knew there was more. "I know you when you get angry, you haven't hurt anyone else yet, but I can't guarantee that you won't hurt someone innocent in the future." There it was. Missy laughed inwardly at the way he stressed the words yet and innocent; wondering if, deep down, her friend thought she could still be helped, that she could still be redeemed. They both knew he could be that naive despite his age. The Time Lady's contemplation made Cilinzia's words from all those centuries spring to mind. Theta still thinks you can be saved, I'm afraid I gave up on that notion years ago. The words echoed off the corners of her mind and made her think of Gallifrey and the Time War and her youth. Missy shuddered, not wanting to think of any of those things, and brought her attention back to the present. "Ah, so it is about the humans" she replied, reaching for the body wash and applying it generously to her skin. It was the second time she'd applied it but she wanted a distraction from her thoughts. Plus, the grapefruit smelt good.

"Not just them, Missy" the Doctor replied, taking the body wash from her and applying some himself before massaging another dollop into Missy's shoulders. "You're nearly seven months pregnant, you could hurt yourself or the baby if you keep this up" the Time Lord voiced his main concern, watching the back of her head bop up and down as she nodded. "He's hurt you enough, don't let him hurt you anymore" the Doctor added, dropping his hands to her swollen middle and placing a delicate kiss to her shoulder. Missy's freshly washed skin smelt deceptively fruity and left a medicinal aftertaste on the Doctor's lips.

The Time Lady tensed at the unexpected act of intimacy. It wasn't that she wasn't used to acts of affection from the Doctor, of course she was, even in this version of him; the grumpy one with the aversion to touch, she was used to tender moments. Theta had always used little acts like it to show her he cared, that he loved her and would always need her. Such displays were even more common when she was unwell or having one of her breakdowns. It was his way of reaching through to her when it seemed nothing else would; his way of reminding her of the goodness in the Universe or even just a way of helping her feel grounded when everything was moving so damn fast. Touch and intimacy were powerful things. But having him kiss her now, when she was naked and exposed and talking about Gordon was too much. It was too raw and made her feel unbearably vulnerable.

The little kiss, however innocent it was intended to be, unwittingly mirrored the way the faction leader had always started and ended his special punishment. Missy knew what that special punishment was, of course she did, but she couldn't face labelling it for what it was. That kind of thing didn't happen to a Time Lord, especially not at the hands of a human and especially not to the Master. Every time the special punishment started, Gordon would give her a peck somewhere on her body and end it the same way. The Mistress didn't remember much else about those events, through a mixture of drugs and repressing thoughts, she managed to block most of the memories out. She always remembered the kiss, though, probably because it was so similar to Theta's actions. On one occasion, she had mistaken Gordon's kiss to her forehead as being her Doctor, her Theta that had finally come for her. In a drugged haze she had sobbed his name. "Doctor, Thete, Doctor" she had murmured with relief, thinking her ordeal had now ended. Gordon had laughed, knelt back down next to her and had whispered "sorry, Mistress, he's not coming this time."

The Doctor watched as Missy sat still as a statue, nails clawing into her thigh and leaving little half moon indents. "Kos" he started, quiet voice echoing off the walls in the even quieter bathroom. The Time Lord's first thought was that she was in another trance brought on by the new technology. "What is it?" He pressed, moving his hand to her shoulder, rubbing his thumb firmly along her right shoulder in an attempt to reach her. The Doctor's touch seemed to bring Missy back to life and she jumped forward, turning as she went and knocking the middle of her back on the tap at the other end of the bath. Missy swore as the cold metal winded her for a second before quickly righting herself and staring straight at the Doctor who was looking at her with a mixture of bewilderment and concern.

"Don't kiss me like that when we're like this" Missy said by way of what she hoped was an explanation. She tried not to look at the Doctor's offended expression, focusing instead on the blistering skin of her healing hand. "Kos, I'd never hurt you and I'd never push you into anything. I know you're not up to that kind of thing right now" the Doctor said, moving his hands pointedly in front of him as though to illustrate his point. "You wanted us to share the bath, love. If this is too much for you I can get out" he added, leaving so much more unsaid but known nonetheless. Missy steadied her breathing and shook her head. "No, it's not too much. I want you to stay" she said, finally forcing herself to meet the Doctor's gaze. "I know you won't do anything" the Time Lady stated, "it's just, the way you kissed me when I'm so exposed and confined, it brought back some memories."

The Doctor nodded, watching Missy release a breath as she closed her eyes. It was clear she was going to elaborate so he waited patiently for her to start speaking again. After a few seconds, Missy started to speak again. "Every time he, um he" Missy struggled for the right words and waved her hands in front of herself before settling on the vague "did what he did." The Doctor nodded in understanding and Missy continued. "Every single fucking time he kissed me like that. At the beginning and at the end. Every time" Missy laughed cynically and watched the Doctor's face contort into a mixture of guilt, pain and sympathy. She continued. She hadn't been able to talk about this part of her time in the faction at all. Something about saying it out loud was cathartic.

"It was so tender and so like you do it and it was like he hadn't just hurt me." Missy paused and sucked in a breath. The Doctor didn't dare breathe or move or say a word; he wanted her to carry on talking, to open up to him. "One time, I even thought it was you. It must have been one of the first times, I was up to my eyeballs in all sorts of different drugs, and I felt this kiss on my forehead. I barely registered what had happened minutes before but I remember that kiss. I thought it was you, that you'd come to rescue me" Missy recounted, almost singing the last words with a wistful lilt to her voice. The Doctor swallowed harshly, hoping to hold his tears at bay. It was no use and he felt his cheeks dampen. Missy looked over at the Doctor, taking in his tears before hesitantly crawling over and running the pad of her thumb along his cheek, soaking up the dampness. "Hush now, you don't need to cry" she soothed, attempting to smile. "No tears" she sang, watching the Doctor look up at her and shake his head. "This isn't how this goes. You shouldn't be comforting me" the Doctor said, reigning in his emotions. "Carry on, if you want to I mean. I interrupted you, I want you to be able to talk about this" he stated, watching Missy move back to her end of the bath. "Are you sure?" the Time Lady questioned, "I don't want you getting all upset and feeling guilty." The Doctor nodded "I'm positive."

Missy nodded, looking down at the water and continuing her account. "I cried your name. I really, really thought it was you and I had never been so relieved. I only remember bits of what had just happened but I thought 'hey, it doesn't matter. That human did that horrible, awful thing but it's over now and Thete's here.'" Missy laughed bitterly at her foolishness. The Doctor chewed the inside of his mouth, throat growing sore from his futile attempts to hold back tears. "Obviously it wasn't you. He laughed at me. I didn't make that mistake again." Silence hung heavy in the room. Missy felt surprisingly better for vocalising thoughts and memories that she had kept to herself for so long. She still felt on edge, but there had been something therapeutic about letting it out. The Doctor took the time to settle his own racing mind. This had been the most Missy had said about this particular aspect of her time in the hands of the faction. He knew it had happened, but it had hung between them and had never been spoken about. Eventually, he took a deep breath and addressed his friend. "I don't know what to say to you" he replied hoarsely. Missy's eyes darted up to his and panic set in- had she disgusted him? She'd killed people, conquered galaxies but this was the thing that disgusted him the most.

The Time Lady quickly looked away, face reddening by the second. This had been her biggest fear about him finding out what Gordon had done and then talking about it, the Doctor finding out and being disgusted with her; seeing her differently somehow. "Do you hate me?" She asked quickly, dreading the answer and swallowing back bile. "For letting it happen, I mean, for letting something so fucking human happen" she elaborated, staring at the towel rack in the corner and still unable to meet his line of vision. The Doctor shook his head instantly. Not that the action would make much of a difference as Missy stared deliberately at anywhere but him. "No, absolutely not, I could never hate you Koschei. Especially not for something like this" he added just as quickly when he realised she wasn't looking at him. The Time Lady turned halfway to face him, the redness in her cheeks lessening slightly but the burning humiliation and fear of rejection still raw in her stomach. His words went someway to stopping her worrying, but they were words she had heard before; she worried how she could tell that they were genuine. "I hate myself" Missy whispered, hearing the Time Lord sigh and start to protest to her statement. She held up a boney hand to fall stall him. "I mean, when I'm like this I hate myself for lots of reasons but this time it's definitely what he did that makes me hate myself the most. It shouldn't have happened. How could I have let it happen?" She laughed joylessly before continuing. She wanted to give him a way out, a way to hate her a little without his damn guilt complex causing havoc to his conscience. "I'm just saying, I'd understand if you did hate me. You don't need to feel guilty about it."

The Doctor watched Missy from the other end of the bath. The Time Lady was still unable to meet his gaze and sounded so unlike herself in her assertions. This most recent trauma had really done a number on her. "I don't hate you" he reaffirmed. There was no way he could, not ever and definitely not for this. There was so much he wanted to say to her but didn't know how to say it. His consolations and promises sounded empty and reminded him of the uselessness of words in certain situations; it was like when he had tried to comfort her after the death of Maisa and she had tried to do the same following the losses of his children. Sometimes, as much as he hated to admit it, words just weren't enough and the gulf of reality was too large to be bridged with sentiment. No matter how genuine and pretty the words felt as they slid off the tongue. Still, he knew for her sake he had to try. "When I said I don't know what to say to you, I don't mean it like all those times when you'd done something incomprehensibly evil. It was the wrong turn of phrase on my part" the Doctor corrected himself, knowing he'd used those exact words several times upon discovering one of her schemes or the remains of a victim. Usually, on those occasions, she'd smirked or licked her lips with pride. It was always the worst when she licked her lips and traces of blood disappeared. It reminded him of her feral-ness, of what she'd become.

Missy listened to the words, all the while her eyes shifted nervously around the bathroom falling anywhere but on him. She heard him sigh and noted how old he sounded. It was about as old as she felt. Had she made him so old? He never sounded like this when he was running around with his fresh new humans. "Look at me, please sweetheart" the Doctor pleaded and Missy thought his begging sounded so desperate that she couldn't help but oblige him. The Time Lord felt his hearts stop as she looked over at him and forced himself to attempt a reassuring smile. It didn't work, his face felt too tight and too tense to manage an actual smile but his attempts nearly made Missy laugh. Nearly, but not quite.

"What I meant was that I don't know what I can say that can make this better. I don't have the words to make you stop hurting" the Doctor elaborated, watching Missy nod. All he wanted was a way to stop her hurting. It was all he'd wanted for centuries, but something felt different this time. Missy had faced so many traumas at the hands of their species and so many subsequent breakdowns but this latest one was uniquely awful. It wasn't just because of what Gordon and the guards had done to her, though that played a role. It was the malicious and methodical nature of their plan this time. The way they had systematically broken her from the very start of this regeneration. Made her carry out plans that she believed to be her own to deliberately throw the Doctor off the scent of anything suspicious. Forcing her to go through pregnancies and miscarriages and still births that she didn't properly understand. Then, make her carry and bond with a baby that she'd never be able to raise. All of that, coupled with the mind tricks had made this torture a stand out one. The Doctor sighed again, wishing he didn't have a list of her bad experiences to compare this to.

Missy fidgeted at the end of the bath, watching the Doctor and waiting for what he had to say next; when he stayed silent for longer than she expected, the Time Lady decided to break the silence. "It's not your job to stop me hurting, Thete. I'm a big girl" she sighed, turning around and adding some more hot water to the bath that was now lukewarm. "I'm your friend, though, and I want to stop you from hurting" the Doctor replied, grateful as the tepid water started to warm. Missy clicked the tap off and turned back to face him; she still looked ashamed and nervous. "Please, never think that I would hate you for what happened. I could never hate you, especially not for that. I wished I could have been there when you needed me. All of this, what they've done should never have happened to you sweetheart." The Time Lord attempted to reassure her, watching keenly as she bowed her head. "Thank you" she whispered, staring down at the water and contemplating her next words. "I...I was most worried about talking to you about that part of the faction. I was and still am so ashamed. What they did, it was humiliating. I thought you'd be disgusted with me" Missy said, knowing she was repeating herself but these thoughts had been repeating in her mind for months. The Doctor softened his expression even more, this was the most gentle he'd had to be with her in centuries and it was more difficult than he'd expected. "No Missy, thank you for talking to me about what happened. I can't tell you how to feel, but you really have no reason to feel ashamed. It's Gordon and the guards that need to feel ashamed, not you. It must have been hard for you to share that with me but I really appreciate you for trusting me enough with something so personal."

Missy did look up at him now, the Time Lord's words struck a chord and she struggled to control her emotions, inwardly cursing herself as she felt tears reach her eyes. "Who else would I trust with it?" She half smiled with a shrug trying to control her emotions. It was true, there was no one else. "Still, it was really brave of you to talk so openly to me. I know you hate the sentiment, but if you ever want to talk about it again- or anything else for that matter- you can anytime." Missy nodded, speaking about it, even though it had been sparked by an unintentional trigger, had helped. It felt like it wasn't just her shameful secret anymore. "It did help, actually, but I don't want to talk about it anymore now" she said, shuffling onto her knees and wading her hands through the water; her back was starting to ache again. It helped to move around.

The Doctor watched sympathetically deciding not to say anything as the Time Lady appeared to soothe herself. "Okay" he said, "we won't talk about it anymore right now." Missy nodded, eventually looking back up at the Doctor. She was starting to feel tired now and couldn't stop the yawn that escaped her lips. She didn't want to go to sleep just yet, though, she was enjoying this quiet time with the Doctor too much. It was so chaotic and busy on a day to day basis that it felt like they barely had anytime just the two of them. After the last few days especially, it was nice to just relax. The other Time Lord watched her yawn and leaned forward, "do you want to go to bed, love?" He asked, remembering that she wanted to talk to him about something and adding "or we could just get out of the bath?" When she shook her head at his initial question.

"Ten more minutes" she sighed, hooded eyes scanning over the Doctor's torso, taking in the lines and the marks. She hadn't really had the chance to get to know this body of his in detail; it was older than any of his recent bodies. She liked it best that way, he looked more like his age than the dashing young hero his humans liked him to be. He looked like he had lived. "Ten more minutes" the Doctor agreed, adding "so what was it you wanted to talk about?" Missy ignored him, instead vocalising her earlier thoughts. "I like this body of yours. It's my favourite in a long time" she said. To the Doctor, not realising her train of thought, it was out of the blue. "Right, is that what you wanted to talk about?" He asked, unconvinced and wishing he had let Missy talk first. Their discussion about Gordon could have waited, it should have waited. He was convinced she wanted talk about the baby and she so rarely initiated that conversation topic.

Missy waved at him dismissively. "Later" she said, she had wanted to talk about the baby and she still did. She wanted to talk about the birth and breastfeeding and bonding with the child but she couldn't talk about all of those things so soon after talking about Gordon. The Time Lady, unable to articulate it, tried to project the thought across to the Doctor. She thinks it worked as she watched him bow his head and echo "later." Missy let her fingers trail along the water humming as she did. This bath had been a good idea. She felt so much more relaxed and present than earlier and she had tomorrow to look forward to with Daisy and the others but mainly Daisy. "What was I saying?" She sang with a playful lilt, the Doctor watched on, enjoying seeing her at peace. "Oh yes" she stated glancing up towards the Doctor, eyes glistening. "This current body of yours is my recent favourite. I mean, I never met the last one but I know he was so young. I think I'd have found that tedious, all the flapping arms and flailing all over the place." The Doctor laughed, adding his attempt of a protest. "I was still me" he stated, "I was just going through a phase." Missy's smile broadened, "I know. I saw the bow tie. Then before that, the one in the long coat, I liked him but again he was pretty young and very angsty. You're angsty now, but you've got the face to carry it off this time" Missy determined, reaching for the sponge and bopping it in a pattern along the water's surface. She looked every inch a cat with a ball of yarn.

The Doctor counted the pattern, checked it wasn't in fours and relaxing when it wasn't with a sigh. Then he realised what she had said and looked up at her in mock offense. "And what is wrong with this face?" He questioned, pulling a face at her as he did. Missy rolled her eyes and splashed at him to hide her giggle. The Mistress shouldn't giggle. "Weren't you listening to me? There's nothing wrong with it. It's my favourite recent face of yours. You look more like a Time Lord and less like a school boy in his dad's clothes" she said eventually. "Mhmm" the Doctor said, "I wasn't sure about it at first. I knew I chose it for a reason but the humans, even Clara, were shocked at it. They'd gotten used to my young appearance."

Missy sniffed, "Well that's humans for you." The Doctor sighed. "Well, I became kind of like them when I first saw this body of yours. Back at 's, that is" he said, regretting starting this conversation as he realised he had no idea how much she remembered about that encounter. Missy flinched slightly at the mention of their first encounter. She remembers the entire encounter from the big reveal down to the Doctor's rejection of her gift. It was still strange to think that wasn't her acting of her own free will but instead as Rassilon's puppet. It had been a good plan too, that's what stung the most. She wished she could take credit for it. Throughout that day, she remembers having a nagging feeling at the back of her mind that this wasn't right, something was wrong and if she could just break out of her trance she could reach the Doctor and tell him what had been happening.

Missy shook herself of the thoughts, scooping up some bubbles in her hands. "Why's that then? Were you disappointed that I was a middle aged woman, not young like Clara or Amy?" She teased, knowing it would wind him up. "No, it wasn't that. This body of yours is gorgeous" he commented getting redder by the minute. Missy smirked, loving the reaction she could elicit. Even pregnant, even damaged. "I was surprised you were a woman at all" the Doctor clarified, watching Missy snort. "That's ridiculous. I've been female more than I've been male. Back when we lived on Gallifrey, I was only male as a child. You really have gone native here on Earth." The Doctor shrugged his shoulders in defeat, "I know. When I felt the two heart beats, I thought for the briefest minute that it was you but I couldn't comprehend the gender change. I started to scramble for another explanation. For a minute, I thought you were the Rani." Missy scoffed, "the Rani? How ridiculous. How human of you." The Doctor nodded again and watched curiously as Missy fashioned the bubbles around her chin in the style of a goatee. "How come you weren't surprised when you saw me as a male for the first time since childhood? When I had a real one of these. You'd think that would have been more shocking" she said pointing to her bubble goatee. The Doctor laughed, "I hadn't been on Earth for as long as I have been now." Missy quirked an eyebrow, "that's a rubbish excuse. Remind me next time you regenerate into a female form to act surprised and human about the whole ordeal. I wouldn't want you feeling left out."

The Doctor scowled at her, trying to be annoyed. He couldn't but he did notice her shiver and note that the bath was getting chilly. They'd been there nearly an hour. "As lovely as this bath has been, and I do mean that, I think it's time we got out. It's getting cold and I, for one, don't want to get ill." The Doctor said standing up from the bath and retrieving two towels from the towel rack. Missy looked up nodding in agreement, it was starting to get cold. "I'm getting all wrinkly. I almost look as old as you. That is if we're still going around placing human labels on things" she teased, body stiff and struggling to ease herself out of the bath. The Doctor wrapped a towel around his waist and turned around, seeing Missy struggling and growing frustrated with herself. "Here, don't strain yourself, let me help you" he offered, leaning down. The Time Lady latched onto his arm standing up slowly, "this is ridiculous" she muttered as he wrapped a towel around her "I should be able to get myself out of the bath." The Doctor squeezed her shoulder, "Don't be so hard on yourself, you're nearly-" "seven months pregnant. I know. I feel it" Missy interrupted. The Doctor nodded sympathetically. "Come on, let's go and get into bed and we can have that chat if you like?" He suggested, opening the door quietly and watching Missy nod.

"So, you wanted to talk about the baby?" The Doctor asked gently. The pair had dressed quickly and were facing each other under the duvet. Blue eyes bore into grey ones in the darkness. Missy nodded at the Doctor's question, formulating the words in her mind. "About the birth and afterwards when I have to look after it for the first month or so. It's getting nearer now, I can't keep pushing it to the back of my mind." The Doctor listened to her intently, "okay. We can go over that. I think it's a good idea if we go over these things now so there are fewer surprises when the time comes" he encouraged, watching Missy relax slightly. In her head, to think about this birth she had to think about the previous, failed ones. "Can I talk about the other ones first. The ones before. I'm trying to understand it, through the other experiences" the Time Lady asked carefully, organising the thoughts in her mind. The Doctor nodded. He could see she was trying to put her thoughts in order and wanted to encourage that methodical approach, rather than let her thoughts run wild and out of control. "Of course you can. We can go through this whichever way you find best" he reassured with a smile. Missy shuffled slightly on the bed, releasing a breath as the baby moved and dug into her side uncomfortably. The Doctor watched on, now used to the scene and knowing there was nothing he could really do.

Eventually, the Time Lady turned her attention back to him and the conversation. "When I gave birth to the other babies, on Gallifrey, I don't really remember much about it. I remember the pain and how I could feel my body urging me to do things, things like when to push. I think Me was there but it's all a bit hazy. I thought I was dying and I couldn't feel myself regenerating and that made me panic, making it all worse. I just didn't understand what was going on" Missy paused and the Doctor offered his hand to her, pleased when she took it. There was a strong wind outside, it caused the outdated windows to shake and brought a chill to the room. Using his free hand, the Doctor pulled the duvet up and cocooned the two of them. "Better?" He asked the Time Lady who nodded in response and went on to continue where she left off.

"At first there was just small pains and cramps. When I was capable of actual thought, I assumed it would pass; that it must just be a reaction to one of their drugs or something. But it always got worse and before I knew it, I was just thinking in pain and not coherent thought. It came in waves, each one getting worse until I felt this pressure between my legs and suddenly there was a baby." The Doctor listened to Missy's account, trying to imagine how scared she must have been and how he would have reacted in her situation. He couldn't imagine it. "That must have been terrifying for you. Not knowing what was happening and not really having anyone you knew there to explain what was happening. I can't understand why they put you through this. They knew it would take ages to have a successful pregnancy. If all they're trying to do is produce a new army, genetically engineered to their desires, there are much quicker ways to do it." The Doctor commented, rather pointlessly.

Missy shrugged, she'd spent a long time considering this over the past few months and had long given up on trying to understand why their species did anything. "I think it was part torture and part a way of testing out new scientific theory. I've made a lot of enemies and I've done a lot of bad things. Plus, they do love to test their new toys. I guess they could kill two birds with one stone this way" the Time Lady listed devoid of emotion. She sounded like she was listing causations for the Cloister Wars in preparation for an academic debate, not detailing personal experiences that had been scarring. He forced himself to remember it was probably a coping mechanism, he had deployed similar tactics when he first emerged from the Time War and had to face the reality of what he thought he had done to Gallifrey. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but balk at her nonchalance. Even when all evidence pointed to the contrary, he wanted to be able to believe that their species were predominantly good, led by the bad few in leadership. The older he got, the harder it was getting to believe such a thing. "Still" the Time Lord started, "your actions don't warrant this kind of punishment. An eye for an eye makes the world blind." Missy laughed cynically, tutting and shaking her head at him, muttering, "you're too precious sometimes."

After a few seconds of quiet contemplation on both sides, Missy restarted the conversation. "I was terrified though and 're right. My first feeling, though, was embarrassment. I was so bloody embarrassed by my lack of control. You've never given birth before, huh another thing I can say I've done that you haven't" the Time Lady paused thoughtfully and the Doctor nodded his head at her observation. "Well, anyway, it's not just 'push and here's the sprog.' There's all sorts of gunk and... bodily fluids that come with it. It was humiliating, Thete. I had no idea what was happening and I thought I was losing all control of myself and my functions. It was like those days when I was so heavily, heavily sedated and had no real self awareness or control but this time I was semi- aware. I was aware that I was pissing and shitting myself and that Omega knows what else was going on down there, but I didn't understand why or what was happening. It was fucking awful" Missy coughed, fist clenching and unclenching as she confessed her embarrassment. She would never be able to confess this to anyone but him.

The Doctor watched guiltily as her ivory skin turned beetroot red. It was bad enough for anyone to lose that kind of control but she had always been so proud. Of course he remembered the times she had been incapable of looking after herself, when she was heavily, heavily sedated; as she put it. Thankfully, she couldn't properly remember the times either himself or nurses had had to do everything for her. All she had from those times were memories he had given her when he reminded her of those things, usually in an attempt to talk her down from a plan. A reminder of what he had done for her, a threat of what he could reveal; not that he ever would. To actually remember feeling that out of control, though, was something else all together. "Missy, you don't need to feel embarrassed about that. You couldn't help it, it was a natural part of what was happening, of the process of childbirth" the Doctor reassured gently.

Missy laughed cynically her pillow, attempting to hide away from him. "Easy to say when it's not you. But it's not natural for us, it's not how we reproduce. Nothing about this was natural" Missy sighed, squeezing her eyes shut and still scrunching her head into the pillow. The Doctor briefly wondered if she was in pain, she often repeated that action when she was; when he saw her take a breath and open her eyes, though, he realised it was her trying to stay in control. A way to ensure she didn't lash out, she didn't want to hurt him. "Natural was probably the wrong word. I just meant that you couldn't control that, it wasn't your fault and you don't need to feel embarrassed about any of that" the Doctor tried again, watching Missy scrunch her eyes shut tighter and release a low hiss. Why didn't he understand this? Why couldn't he understand what she was trying to say? "That's exactly it!" She exclaimed, turning away from him fully. "I have no control and I'm scared of having no control again. You know how much I hate feeling like that." The Doctor ran a hand over his face. Nothing he was saying was right, he kept trying to make her feel better but it was all wrong. "What can I say to you, love? I'm trying to make you feel better and everything I say is wrong" the Time Lord said tiredly. He wasn't tired with his friend in so much as he was tired with the situation, he wanted an easy way to fix this and it wasn't possible. Missy sniffed and turned back to face him reluctantly. "I know you're trying to help but I just need you to listen to me. Let me talk about these experiences and how it's effecting how I think about this birth. Please, I don't often feel like talking about this, but I do right now. Can you just let me talk through it, even if it does feel like I'm going off on a tangent?" The Time Lady requested, running her hands along the bit of sheet in the space between them. The Doctor swallowed and nodded.

"Thank you. Anyway, what I was saying was that I couldn't understand it, it didn't make sense. In the back of my mind I knew that there were species that gave birth to their young but I couldn't connect the dots. It's so different knowing something in theory and experiencing it in reality. I remember looking down at this baby and picking it up and it looked so much like Maisa when she was first loomed" Missy stated, whispering the last bit. "But it was tiny and wasn't breathing or moving. They were two boys and one girl, those babies that died. I think, I can't remember properly. I tried to save them, all of them, but I couldn't and so I'd just cuddle them. Remember how I used to cuddle Maisa when she was ill or tired?" The Doctor nodded, he remembered stumbling upon the sight of Koschei cradling a sniffly Maisa many times. It carried on right through the Time Tot's short life. Often, he'd find the pair asleep and he remembered thinking he'd never seen Koschei look so peaceful. The Doctor doubted Missy had been as peaceful when she cradled the babies in the faction. The Time Lord stayed silent in his observations, letting Missy continue. "Well I cuddled them just like that. I don't know what I was thinking. I thought about using my regeneration energy, but I was too tired. In the end I just thought I could protect them. I must have fallen to sleep at some stage because when I woke up, my arms were empty and the whole process started again." Missy sniffled as she recounted her previous experiences. "It was so much fucking easier when I didn't remember all of this" she muttered to herself.

The Time Lady was terrified that her next experience was going to be the same and by the time she'd finished her account was shaking like a leaf. Picking up on her concerns and nervousness, the Doctor ran a thumb across her knuckles and began to reassure her; knowing it was now safe to talk. "You did your best for them. They were already gone long before they were born though" he said gently, wanting her to know that their deaths wouldn't have been her fault. Missy nodded, "I know." The Doctor continued, noting that she seemed more receptive to his reassurances now. "It won't be like that this time. This one is doing really well, we've both felt how strong she is" he said, watching Missy smile despite herself. The Doctor omitted the fact that the reason this attempt was so successful was because of the human genetics and faction's modifications to her body via medication. The Time Lord continued, "I'll be with you and there will be someone guiding you the whole time. You know that I've been working on suitable pain relief, I have some sorted that should help ease some of the pain" he stated watching her nod thoughtfully before responding. "I read about some types of pain relief used during birth. I read about an epidural and I know it is compatible with Time Lords but I really don't want it. There's a huge needle and I won't be able to walk around. I don't like the idea of having no control like that, which I guess you realise" Missy trailed off. She'd discovered NHS online on one of her sleepless nights a few weeks ago and spent a whole night reading through pain relief options. When she'd read about the epidural, it had sounded appealing. A medication that numbed the pain waist down entirely was attractive. Then, however, she'd read about how it was administered and knew that it wouldn't be an option. She had a high pain threshold, she'd rather endure the pain than lose her freedom of movement.

The Doctor nodded, wondering briefly when Missy had had the chance to read up on these things and why she hadn't mentioned it to him before. He quickly pushed those thoughts out of his mind, however, realising that the Time Lady was more than capable of looking some things up on her own and that there was really nothing wrong with that. The Time Lord had discussed the use of an epidural with Kate and Dr Chang, but all had agreed given Missy's aversion to needles and her continued need to feel in control, it was probably better to look at other options. Still, ultimately, the decision fell to her. "That's up to you, love. If you don't feel comfortable having an epidural then that is fine. The option will be available still if you change your mind. I've made up some patches that can be placed on your back and stomach during the birth. It'll release a drug into your system without using a needle. You'll also have access to gas and air, which you can control how much or how little you want. How does that sound?" Missy nodded. It did reassure her to have a plan in place. She was about to answer when she heard a noise out in the hallway.

"Did you hear that?" She asked the Doctor, who had shot up and hovering by the door. The Time Lord nodded and the pair listened as little feet padded their way along the carpet. Realisation struck and the Doctor whispered, "it must be Daisy." The two breathed a sigh of relief, having feared it was something to do with the Time Lords. "It's still early, what's she doing up?" Missy pondered aloud, noting it was only 4am, before opening the door and walking out into the hallway. At the end of the corridor was young Daisy dressed in one of Clara's t shirts that she must have borrowed as make shift pyjamas. The Time Lady chuckled at the scene, there was something strange about seeing an eight year old dressed in a Glastonbury 2010 t shirt.

"Daisy?" She questioned, heading towards the girl and noticing that she was crying. Daisy turned around, running towards the Time Lady and hugging her. "Goodness me, what's all this about poppet?" Missy cooed looking back at the Doctor and back down at Daisy. "I had a nightmare and I forgot I wasn't at home. Mummy's still asleep and I came out here to go to the toilet and then I got lost in the dark on the way back" the girl cried, runny nose dripping onto Missy's pyjama bottoms. "Oh no, we can't have that" the Time Lady soothed. The Doctor wondered where the nervous Missy from minutes earlier had gone as he watched a calm and controlled version take over. "Why don't you come back to bed with me? There's no need to wake mummy up this early. The Doctor will go and get you some hot milk and you can tell me all about this nasty dream you had" she suggested, reminding the Time Lord of the ways she had helped him as a child with his night terrors. They had both been children then, but somehow she made him feel better instantly. The Doctor ran a hand down Missy's back, projecting we'll finish our conversation another time. We will finish it, Kos. The Time Lady nodded at his projection before the pair turned their attention back to Daisy. Daisy nodded against Missy's legs mumbling something incoherent; she did want some hot milk and to go back to bed with Missy. "Is that two hot milks, Missy? One for you and one for Daisy?" He asked heading down the stairs. "I think so" the Time Lady hummed, taking hold of Daisy's small hand and leading her back into the bedroom.

In the bedroom, Missy pulled back the duvet and let the little girl settle in first before crawling in next to her. "Thank you Missy" Daisy said as she snuggled against the Time Lady, trying to get as close to her as possible despite the bump. The girl couldn't understand how Missy always felt so cold, maybe it was something to do with being from Scotland. Still, she didn't mind. "That's okay, dearie" Missy said, picking up on the girl's thoughts and laughing inwardly. She was amazed the girl hadn't clocked that both her and the Doctor weren't human, children could be so intuitive and tended to believe much more than adults ever did. Though, if Kate were determined that her daughter didn't know, then no doubt she wouldn't know. Determination was in the Lethbridge-Stewart blood. The Time Lady wrapped an arm tighter around Daisy's middle before continuing. "You're like my little hot water bottle. I've always felt the cold and the Doctor's just as , do you want to tell me what happened in the dream?" Missy asked, running a hand through the girl's hair. "It's silly. It's babyish to have nightmares. My brother always teases me when I have a bad dream" Daisy said, Missy gasped theatrically. "No it's not, your brothers an idiot. I have nightmares sometimes and I'm really old" she said causing Daisy to giggle. "Mummy says I can't use the word idiot" she whispered, scandalised, between giggles. Missy let out another theatrical gasp. "Well it can be our little secret then. Now come on, poppet, tell me what the dream was about" Missy said, still stroking the girl's hair. Daisy went on to explain in great detail what the dream she'd had was about, listing the green three eyed monster and witch in the wardrobe. The Doctor returned in time to hear Missy consoling Daisy and just in time to stop her from telling the girl that there was much more real things to be scared of in the world. While Missy was good with children, she still failed to have a filter or realise the impact that her words could have on easily influenced children.

"Here's the hot milk for the ladies" he interrupted, placing the mugs on the bedside cabinet and watching the Time Lady and young human turn around to face him as he sat on the foot of the bed. Daisy beamed up at him, she'd never met anyone who was as grown up but still as silly as the Doctor and Missy. "Have we sorted out that nasty dream?" The Doctor asked Daisy who nodded. "Yes, Missy helped me and she called my brother an idiot" the girl laughed causing the Doctor to raise his eyebrows and look over at Missy. The Time Lady, shrugged "to be fair, she is telling it slightly out of context." The Doctor rolled his eyes, "still, Missy, we don't call people idiots" he stated, talking in that way, Missy imagined, for the benefit of Daisy. He sounded ridiculous. "You sound like my mum" Daisy said to the Doctor. Missy snorted and nodded before commenting, "I've heard you call people idiots all the time. Just the other day you called the self service check out at Tesco a robotic idiot. Then, another time, you called the lollypop man something much worse" she teased, causing Daisy's ears to prick at the prospect of learning a new word. The Doctor jumped in, coughing, "yes thank you Missy. I don't think Kate would be to pleased with us teaching Daisy any new words like that."

Daisy and Missy sipped at their drinks for a few minutes in silence. It was before dawn and Daisy still looked tired, Missy thought. If they were going to have a good day today, she didn't want her to be over tired; she remembered the hassle of trying to take Maisa out when she was tired. It just wasn't worth it. Daisy finished her drink and placed it back on the cabinet while stifling a yawn. "It's still very early" the Doctor commented, watching from the end of the bed. "Why don't you try and go back to sleep Daisy?" He suggested, watching the girl shake her head. Missy placed her own drink back down and turned her attention to the girl. "Come on, poppet, it's dark outside. I'm going to go to sleep. I'm shattered. Will you at least lay down with me while I go to sleep" Missy tried another angle to get the girl to go back to sleep. Daisy nodded eventually and the pair laid back down. The Doctor smiled as he watched Daisy fall to sleep first followed not long after by Missy.

Koschei's first experience in a prison on Gallifrey wasn't horrific. This always tickled the Mistress when she thought over it in retrospect. It was many moons ago, but her punishment had been just and fair for her crime. It had been before the Time War and its politics had tainted all institutions on the planet. The hearing had taken into account her mental health issues and had been considerably lenient in sentencing. As consequence for her crime of causing four soldiers to regenerate with the intent of causing permanent death, she had two regenerations taken from her and spent a year in a psychiatric prison. Upon release, she had to spend ten years under strict parole conditions; restrictions included immediate incarceration in a mainstream prison for any criminal offense, no access to jobs in the Capitol and no opportunity of gaining access to a loom for at least half a century. Unfortunately, the Time Lady hadn't been capable of appreciating what a good deal she had had at the time and was unaware of what would await her over the next thousand years.

The day of the incident had started normally enough. It was summer and Koschei was at work at the military base in the Capitol. The Time Lady had had a few rough months, the drums had been getting louder; louder, in fact, than they had been since her days in the Academy. She had gone through manic and depressive phases, suffered from hallucinations and started to alienate herself from everyone, even Theta. Still, in spite of all of this, work had been keeping her going. Koschei had probably become too dependent and too obsessed with her work at the military base but it was all she had to get her through each day. It was late afternoon, the sun was shining through the windows and illuminating everything in the Time Lady's office with a golden haze, when two guards from what equated to a staff wellbeing department made an appearance. They didn't knock, the just entered and that already put her back up as she tore her eyes away from her blue prints to scan their looming figures. Koschei tapped her pencil against her desk. One. Two. Three. Four. Sucked her breath in. . . Waited for an explanation. One. Two. Three. Four.

No explanation came, instead the two guards looked at each other and back at Koschei as she exhibited the same signs that her colleagues and superiors had informed them of over the past few weeks. They wondered if she was aware that they could see her counting to herself and how on edge she was on a daily basis. The Time Lady grew annoyed, throwing her pencil on her desk. "What do you want? Can't you tell I'm busy" she said, looking harassed and running a shaky hand through her hair. Her clothes hung loosely on her shrinking frame and dark circles formed under her eyes. "Ma'am we are here to advise you take a leave of absence. A number of colleagues have expressed their concern at your behaviour and outbursts. We believe it is in the best interests of both yourself and everyone at the base for you to take some sick leave" the more confident of the guards explained, it wasn't voluntary advice and if Koschei didn't follow it, she would be forcibly removed . The Time Lady looked up from her desk and shook her head, "you're joking, right?" She asked, scanning through holographic messages and hissing as one gave off a shock of electricity. "I've got too much work to do. You know how busy we are here" she protested, hearing her voice get louder as she tried to hear herself think over the drums banging in her head and ringing in her ears. The guards shook their heads, the smaller of the pair already fidgeting in his pockets to call for assistance. He'd heard of her recent, violent outbursts and they had been ordered not to take any risks. "No, ma'am. It's not a joke and it's not a choice. You're not well. You need to take some time off" the larger guard said levelly, approaching her slowly with his hands raised in front of him. Koschei cradled her head in her hands, "no, no, no" she protested. "You can't take this from me. If you take this, I'll have nothing. The drums and the voices will take over, don't you see?" She begged, cheeks turning red from pent up anger and growing agitation. The guard took a seat opposite her in an attempt to not look overly intimidating. "No one's taking it from you. You are an excellent asset to the military and your job will be waiting for your when you're better. There are no drums and no voices, they're in your head. We know you came from a year in the Academy when the initiation with the Schism was prevalent, we understand that and we're trying to help you. Now, come with us to the medical centre, we will get you signed off from work and get you help. We can even call someone for you so that there is a friendly face waiting for you when we get there" the guard suggested.

Koschei sat still for a moment trying to comprehend what she was being told. They were really going to do this to her, take away her job, leave her with nothing and patronise her while doing it. We understand. We want you to get better. We know about the initiation. Lies. Lies. Lies. Her mind told her. This wasn't for her own good, it was a conspiracy. "I'm not going and you can't force me" the Time Lady said staring dead into the guard's eyes. What happened next was hazy. Within an instant of her refusal to comply, two more guards entered her office. Four! Four guards were now present, this must have been what the incessant drumming of four was about; a warning that four guards would come and take away everything she had worked for. Four! It was the number of death in legends across many of the universe's civilisations past, present and future. She had read about all of them in a military Tardis' database. Four guards and death was inevitable, her mind told her. It was her or them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Kill them. The voices encouraged and suddenly the drums made sense. They were a warning. The drums weren't the enemy, they were her friend; warning her of danger that was coming her way. Within four seconds, there were four guards with broken necks lying in all four corners of Koschei's office. In the commotion, a more heavily armed group of guards were in the office, restraining the Time Lady and retreating from the room just as four regenerations started. The next thing Koschei would remember was Theta arriving at her cell that evening.

Theta was sat, mind half attuned to the loom in the next room, listening to five year old Unza recite the more complex Gallifreyan alphabet he had been learning. The child was stuttering over the letters and Theta had to stop Daryn, who was wriggling in his lap, from laughing and throwing Unza off focus. As the boy reached the eighth letter on his third recital, Theta hear the door open and breathed a sigh of relied as Cilinzia walked in shrugging off her summer shawl. Both Unza and Daryn ran to their mother, the latter winding Theta as she jumped out of his lap. "Mama" Daryn exclaimed, arms held high in the air in a demand to be picked up by her mother. Unza, who was always the more reserved of the two, hovered behind watching enviously as his mother scooped up Daryn. When he saw the Time Lady hold her other arm out for him, he couldn't help but run towards her. Wanting your mother wasn't cool when you'd just turned five but exceptions could be made, especially when she'd been away for a whole night.

At the Science Centre, Cilinzia had been offered a promotion. It had been an excellent opportunity and came with an increased wage. It was finally recognition of all her hard work. The new role, however, did have some downsides- as good things so often do. It was longer working hours and longer stints away from home. This was problematic with two young children and a third being loomed. Theta and Cilinzia had made it work, though. Theta had been growing restless in his own role at the centre where it was becoming less about education and discovery and more about preparing for war. Subsequently, the Time Lord had lowered his hours at work to look after the children and explore routes into academia while Cilinzia took on the new position.

So far, it had been going well and everyone had been settling into their new routine. This had been Cilinzia's first night away from the children and it was clear it had been hard on both parties. Standing up, Theta approached his family, joining them in their embrace. "It is lovely to see you" the Time Lady exclaimed, placing a kiss on both of the children's heads and blowing an air kiss in the direction of Theta. "But what are you two doing up so late?" She asked, watching Unza look away guiltily while Daryn proudly declared "Papa let us stay up late to wait for you." Cilinzia pretended to look angry but quickly broke into a smile. "Well I guess it's okay just this once. Now come on you two, let's go up to bed." The Time Lady said, heading out of the room. "I can put them to bed" Theta offered. Cilinzia shook her head, "no I want to. You get me a cup of tea with a shot of brandy in it, I'll be down soon."

"The went out like a light" Cilinzia chuckled, closing the door behind her as she sat down next to Theta and took a sip of her drink. "I'm not surprised. They've been running around non stop since the crack of dawn" Theta laughed, stifling a yawn. Cilinzia chuckled and rubbed against Theta's shoulder, noting how tense they were. "I checked in on the loomling, too, she's cooking nicely. We're going to have to think of names soon." Theta nodded in agreement. "So, how was the conference?" He asked, watching her slurp at her tea. "So-so" she shrugged, "you know what these things are like. Nice hotel, good food though." Theta laughed, "well that's priorities." "Hmm. Well I'm glad I have a few days off now. Oh! Did you call around about getting some people together at the weekend?" She asked, remembering their plans to have friends around and be sociable for the first time in weeks. "I called everyone you said, they're all coming, apart from Koschei" he informed, trying to add the last bit on nonchalantly but failing. "Why not? I thought she'd want to see us and the kids. The kids especially." Theta sighed, shaking his head. "It's not really her thing. All those other guests, she's not one for social gatherings" he said trying not to worry for his friend. She was becoming more reclusive and obsessed with her with her work by the day. Theta hadn't seen her in months and their contact had been minimal. The last he'd heard, she was residing at the military base and working there on a full time basis. The last time he'd seen her, she'd been jittery and talking about the drums. All the tell tale signs that she wasn't well were there. Now she seems to be working all the hours in the day and probably doing very little else. "Then invite her over on her own or go an see her. I'm worried and I know you are too" Cilinzia said, interrupting his train of thought. Theta nodded and went to respond when a knock on the door interrupted.

The two Time Lords looked at each other. "Who could that be at this time?" Theta asked making his way into the hallway, closely followed by Cilinzia. Opening the door, they were surprised to see two uniformed guards staring back at them. "Sir, are you Theta Sigma of the House of Lungbarrow?" Theta was stunned into silence by the formality and nodded silently. "Do you know Koschei of the House of Oakdown?" The guard pressed. Theta's hearts stopped and he forced himself to nod. Panic set in, had Koschei had an accident? Was she hurt or worse? Cilinzia apprache her husband, wrapping her arm around his waist in support. "We know Koschei, she's our friend. Has there been some kind of accident?" The Time Lady asked, noting that Theta was unable to speak. "Not exactly ma'am" the guard started, "Koschei is fine, physically speaking. There's been an incident at the base. Four soldiers have been killed and we have reason to believe Koschei is responsible for the act." Both Cilinzia and Theta gasped. They knew she had issues with anger but neither thought she was capable of killing anyone. "The soldiers regenerated" the guard added quickly, "but we have reason to believe that the intent to permanently kill was there. Koschei is currently under psychiatric arrest. She's not making a lot of sense and we believe she needs a responsible guardian present as we process through the next stages. As you're her next of kin, we thought you'd be able to come and sit with her through the formalities and proceedings. We can appoint someone from the legal department but thought it would be better all round if it was someone she knows and trusts" the guard said.

Theta stood, still trying to process what he was being told as Cilinzia guided him out of the door. During the journey, he managed to settle his mind and focus on the task ahead. Koschei had been arrested. She had killed four soldiers. Something was very wrong, she must have been having a breakdown, "We don't think they'll charge her for murder" the guard said as they arrived. "There are grounds for an insanity plea. She'll probably have to spend a year in the psychiatric unit." Theta nodded, trying to process everything. "Is she okay?" The Time Lord forced himself to ask, rather pointlessly. The guard coughed. "She's stable. Better than she was when we brought her in. She's been sedated and restrained so you might be a bit shocked when you first see her. Has she always suffered from mental health issues?" He pressed. Theta nodded. Anything that could help give her a future where she wasn't locked away or executed. She wasn't capable of making decisions for herself at the moment, so he had to do it for her. "Since childhood. Delusions, bouts of mania and depression. She has had issues with anger before but usually only lashes out when she's scared or overwhelmed." The Time Lord said, stepping into a side room and following the guards instructions to walk through a scanner and sign some papers. He nodded at Theta's description. "That's useful, thank you. We're hoping to have her serve her sentence here rather than a regular prison. There will be a hearing rather than a trial. She'll probably have two of her regenerations taken via an energy retraction to give to the injured soldiers as compensation." Theta flinched at that but accepted it, knowing in normal circumstances the punishment would be much worse. "When will all this happen?" He asked. "Tomorrow. Get it out of the way and we can start her sentence. We can put you up in some accommodation after you've seen her. It'll all take place early." Theta nodded. "Will I be able to be with her?" The Guard led them down a corridor towards the cells. "For the hearing you can be in the room, when they take the regenerations only the doctor can be present. You can observe and see her straight afterwards." Theta nodded silently. It seemed fair enough, he had to remember that she was being punished. "Can I see her now?" "Of course. You can have an hour with her now."

The first thing Theta was aware of when he entered the cell was the flurry of negative psychic energy. He felt that before he saw Koschei huddled in the corner restrained. She had access to a bed but was clearly refusing to use it in a misguided protest. The Time Lady looked tiny in the prison tunic that swamped her. It wasn't just because she'd lost weight, she seemed to have lost height too. Usually her tiny stature added to her spirit, she was a tiny force to be reckoned with. Today, it made her look like one of Daryn's dolls- fragile and lifeless. It took a matter of seconds for Koschei to notice him. "Thete" she exclaimed, unaware of the saliva dripping from the corners of her mouth. Her wrists were clamped together in iron and red marks were forming underneath them, pressumably from her struggle to free herself. Despite the restraints and sedation, she wobbled towards him only to be jolted back by the weight around her ankle. Theta was sure he heard her welp in pain as she fell to the floor clumsily. "Koschei" he whispered, swallowing harshly and lowering himself to the ground. "You're going to hurt yourself. Sit on the bed with me" he said easing her up with no trouble due to her slight form and the way her legs wobbled from the medication.

"Have you come to take me home?" She slurred. Theta looked at her and wanted to ask where home was these days? Did she have anywhere outside of the military? It wasn't worth confusing her, however, so he just shook his head solemnly. "No Kos, you have to stay here for quite a while" he said as gently as possible. At his statement, Koschei looked crestfallen. Her eyes widened and he thought she might be about to cry. She looked like a little girl, not a million miles away from the way Daryn looked when she fell over and scraped her knee. Instead of crying, though, she summoned some energy from Omega knew where and jumped up laughing. "Are you joking, Thete?" She laughed. "Very funny. Let's go now. I need to get back to work." Theta bit his tongue, he wanted to shout at her, try and make her see sense and understand the seriousness of what she had done. "None of this is a joke, Kos" Theta sighed, watching as she swayed on her feet. She'd had a strong dose of sedation and he could tell she was being kept going by a false energy. She was fighting a crash and when the inevitable crash came, it was going to be a big one. The Time Lady gave him a look of complete bewilderment. "It's not a joke?" She asked, wiping at her mouth sloppily and missing it completely. Theta shook his head. "No. Sit down Kos, you're really going to hurt yourself if you don't."

Koschei ignored him and started to pace again. Theta approached her, forcibly pulling her back to the bed and making her sit down. He watched as she went to push herself back up, but was stopped by his hands on her shoulders. Koschei growled at him while he held firm. "You'll stay put and calm down he ordered watching her scrunch her eyes shut as he looked down at her. It was then the tears came. The Time Lord knelt down in front of her, he watched her shrink in front of him, shoulders shuddering. "I need to go back to work, Thete" she pleaded between sobs and Theta watched on cooing and trying to soothe her. "You're not going back to work" he stated, watching her grow more agitated. "No, I need to. I was in the middle of blueprints of a new munitions factory" she tried again. Theta continued to shake his head. "Do you know where you are, Koschei?" He questioned trying gauge what she actually understood. Her eyes widened at him and she tried to remember exactly where exactly she was. She couldn't and there were huge gaps in her memory. "They brought me here" she answered and he shook his head. "That's not what I asked" he replied knowing she was trying to distract him from the fact that she didn't have a clue where she was. "Tell me the truth. Do you know where you are?" Koschei crumbled, lip quivering as she shook her head. Theta inhaled trying to find a way to explain it to her. "Okay, you're okay. At the moment, you're in a psychiatric prison..."Theta started, explaining everything to her as simply as Time Lord then sat with her as she tried to take it in and eventually fell to sleep.

The hearing was swift and the retrieval of regeneration energy was even swifter. Koschei was charged with causing four regenerations with the intent to cause permanent death; the judge agreed, however, that there was grounds for an insanity plea and subsequently sentencing was as lenient as the custody guard had predicted. Theta had barely been aware of time passing as he sat through the hearing and then the retraction of regeneration energy. The Time Lord had watched as Koschei sat unresponsive between two custodial guards in the dock and then as she squirmed in the medical room as tubes were attached and her life force was taken. Before he knew it, he found himself sat in the same cell as the previous night watching Koschei sleep off the lethargy that came post-regeneration energy retraction. They had tried to make the procedure as pain-free as possible but taking regenerations hurt and there was no way around that. Theta could still hear her screams ringing in his ears and see the golden flicker of her skin. He had to force himself to remember that it was a punishment. She had nearly permanently killed four people and that needed consequences, mental instability or not. Maybe, just maybe it would be enough of a deterrent, Theta had naively hoped. Watching his friend sleep, he wondered if, aside from the inevitable tiredness, she would be more aware of her surroundings and what was was happening than the previous night.

The Time Lord watched as Koschei opened her eyes and tried to remove the bandages that covered where tubes had entered her arms. "Itchy" she muttered to herself, voice croaky and low. Theta approached with a bottle of water and reached out to stop her pulling at the bandages. He watched her look up at him in surprise and he was sure, if her responses were up to it, she would have jumped. After a few long blinks, she smiled honestly. It was a tired smile but it was a genuine one and he couldn't help but return it. "Thete" she croaked, lips cracking. "It's been so long since I've seen you" she stated and the Time Lord bowed his head. He chose not to remind her he'd seen her last night and that morning. "I know. I've missed seeing you" he said, watching her eyelids drift shut and flutter open quickly. "Yes. Me too. We can't leave it this long again" she said slowly having to concentrate on every word. Theta nodded. If he had it his was they would never leave it this long again. As he watched her look around the room, he wondered how much she remembered about where she was and what had happened. Koschei's mouth opened and closed as she appeared to taste the air and lick her lips. "Are you thirsty, love?" He asked and watched her nod. Handing her the water bottle, he watched her take eager gulps and spill a great deal down herself. The Time Lord looked away, knowing she would hate to be seen like that in normal circumstances. "Thank you" Koschei said, passing him the water bottle but dropping it as her hand gave way. "That's okay. I bet your throat was quite dry." The Time Lady nodded and he could see the clogs turning in her mind. Why was her throat so dry? Why was she so tired? "Do you know where we are, Kos?" Theta asked as he saw her start to become unsettled and question what was happening. "No, I don't get it. Where are we?" She asked, pushing herself up on her elbows and looking around the dank room. Theta sat down next to her and explained the whole thing again.

Missy woke with a start, surprised to have dreamt about her first imprisonment all those years ago. As she became aware of her surroundings, she looked over at Daisy snoring next to her and allowed herself to look forward to the day ahead.


	32. Chapter Thirty-two

Walking in to the bedroom, the Doctor was surprised to see Missy up, dressed and sat on the bed. She'd discarded the bandage on her burnt hand and was examining the nearly-healed skin, unaware of his presence. The Time Lord coughed as he walked over to the curtains and pulled them open to reveal a deceptively blue sky. He'd already been out with Daisy to get some eggs for breakfast and it had been cold. Missy looked up, placing her recovering hand on the duvet and smoothing her jumper over her bump with her other one. "Morning" she greeted with a smile, watching the Doctor turn around and retrieve his pair of socks from the wardrobe. He smiled in greeting as he sat down at the dresser and rolled one sock on, then the next. "Daisy's going to be thrilled you're up. Hasn't stopped asking for you since she woke up. She was so careful not to wake you when she got out of bed that she let out all her pent up energy out when she got downstairs and nearly woke up Kate and Clara. Luckily, I was pottering about downstairs and managed to take her down the road to the shops and then the park. She went, well we both went, on the swings and then I got stuck on the slide" the Doctor laughed, "oh and there are some eggs downstairs for you if you want them. Missy pulled a face, the thought of any food making her feel sick. She personally blamed Dr Chang for the fact that her morning sickness had lasted, so far, throughout her pregnancy. "It should pass soon" they had all kept saying. She was still waiting. Fortunately, these days she was rarely actually sick and it was more just a nauseas feeling for the first few hours of the day. The Doctor nodded, now bypassing the part where he told her it'll pass soon and instead suggested she might feel like eating later.

"Have I ruined our day out?" she asked, watching him discard of his wet socks. He'd been jumping in puddles again, the big kid. "No, not at all. It's still early. Clara and Kate only got up about half an hour ago. I was just coming up to wake you, actually, but clearly there was no need" he said, standing and clicking his back as he walked towards the bed. It dipped as he sat down next to the Time Lady. "I wasn't planning on even sleeping. I only closed my eyes to help Daisy fall to sleep" Missy laughed, what time is it?" She asked, glancing out the windows at the chimneys and the steam that danced out of them into the pristine clearness of the sky. "Half eight. Can't you tell that? Are you feeling okay?" The Doctor asked genuinely, worried by the implications of his friend not being able to sense time in the way they were both normally capable of. The Time Lord raised his hand to her forehead, just checking there was no temperature; it was normal. "I'm fine" Missy replied, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers. "My sense of time has been on and off throughout the pregnancy. It should pass, along with all the other symptoms, eventually" she smiled, stroking his Doctor nodded slowly, face still full of worry as he returned her smile.

"I don't say this enough but thank you" Missy said softly, still rubbing the Doctor's hand with her thumb. The Time Lord looked over, bemusement written across his face. There were a lot of things she didn't say enough. Both 'thank you' and 'sorry' (when she actually had something to be sorry for, not just when the faction had ingrained it in her) were in the top three. It had to be 'I need help' that came in first though. The Doctor didn't say any of this and quirked an eyebrow in interest. "What have I done to deserve that?" He mock gasped, placing his free hand over his chest. Missy chuckled and rested her head against his shoulder with a slight shrug. "You're always there, after everything, unconditionally" she sighed. "You do the same for me" the Doctor stated honestly. It was true. She was always there for him, even if it was with a slightly tougher love and harsher advice. "Even so, I don't say thank you enough for the shit I have put you through. Last night, I dreamt of that first time I was imprisoned. I mean the first time on Gallifrey, you know, after that incident with the guards?" The Doctor nodded in recognition. That had been so long ago. "I was such a mess, from what you've told me. I'm sure I only remember those first few days because of what you've told me" she sighed thoughtfully. "Anyway, you were so good to me. You had young kids, a busy life and you still made so much time for me. You didn't need to do that" she stated matter of factly. "You were my friend and you needed help. I'd do it all again if I needed to" he reaffirmed, adding "and again, you've done exactly the same for me. The amount of times you traipsed across town with Maisa in tow just to make sure I was okay. I know you were juggling a marriage, the private arms dealing and contract killing at the same time" he said, resigned to the fact that that was the way she was. "Still, you dropped all of that just to make sure I could get out of bed and wasn't going to top myself. This works both ways, love. It's a lifelong, binding contract. We're stuck with eachother, champ" he laughed, ruffling her hair and watching her push away from him in annoyance. "You used to do that to Unza and now I know why he found it so annoying" she huffed, patting down her hair and scrunching her nose, stiffening suddenly. "Oh!" she exclaimed, back straightening as she felt a kick in her side. As the baby was getting bigger, it was getting rarer to feel her move. As Dr Chang had explained, there was less space for them to move around. When there was movement, however it was more intense. "She clearly doesn't like it when all the attention isn't on her" Missy laughed, placing her hand on the lower part of her stomach. "Sounds familiar" the Doctor countered, causing Missy to side eye him, "I'll ignore that comment out of the kindness of my hearts."

Rolling the hem of her jumper up, Missy turned back to him, "look at this" she said pulling the Doctor's hand to where hers had been. As his eyes lowered to the place in question, he let out a breath of surprise. Underneath the Time Lady's stretched, pale skin the Doctor could make out a tiny foot pressing outwards. Not that it looked like much like a foot if you didn't know what it was, more just a bubbling under her skin. Almost as though her stomach was literally growling. "That's, that's..." The Doctor stammered, eyebrows raised to his hairline. "Weird, right?" Missy offered, breaking off with a giggle. "I only noticed it today when I was getting dressed. It reminded me a bit of the looms, when you could first see the Time Tot start to develop into an actual being. I mean it's a bit different when you feel the movements and see something moving against your own skin. It's kinda freaky" she laughed again, watching the Doctor nod. "You're okay with this?" He asked carefully. It was a strange sensation to him, it could only be stranger for her. She seemed fine, relaxed even. Missy nodded. "It's a bit weird, but I'm fine. I feel pretty good up here" she paused, tapping the side of her head. "I feel like I'm going to have a good day. Although, compared to the last few days, that's not hard" she laughed, fidgeting self-consciously.

The Doctor smiled, "that's good. That's really, really good" he encouraged, standing up and retrieving his walking shoes, lacing them up quickly. Missy walked to his side, running her cold fingers along his neck. It tickled and she knew it as she smirked at him. "So, judging by your intrepid explorer get up, I'm guessing we're ready to go." The Doctor turned around nodding, zipping up his jacket and passing Missy her own anorak. The Time Lady shrugged on her own jacket and looked the Doctor up and down; he was decked out like a model in a men's active wear autumn catalogue. "Am I going to be okay dressed like this?" she questioned half-jokingly, half-seriously as she motioned to her more casual look of leggings, a jumper and wellington boots. If you looked at the pair of them, you wouldn't have thought they were going to the same place. "Yes, you'll be fine like that. Daisy wants to climb a tree and wants someone to go up with her. Clara and Kate refused, you won't be able to so that leaves me" the Doctor responded, shrugging his shoulders.

Missy looked at him disbelievingly. "Daisy wanted to climb a tree?" she questioned, raising a brow. "Are you sure it's not the other way around? It sounds an awful lot like the time it was Maisa that wanted to go paddling in the stream in early spring and you just had to go with her. You were supposed to be giving me an afternoon off but you both came back drenched. It was like I suddenly had two three year olds to take care of instead of one" she laughed, propping an elbow against the dresser. These past few months, she'd reminisced about Maisa far more than she ever had before. Over the centuries, she'd only ever been able to think about her daughter's death never her life. Recently, that had changed and it was a welcome change. The Doctor went to protest, but realised there was no way he could. "Okay, I suggested climbing the tree just like I suggested paddling in the stream. But nature, Missy. Nature and children and wonder, it's the stuff I live for" he exclaimed, floppy smile on his face. He was pleased to hear her talking about Maisa, he'd wanted them to be able to talk fondly about their children for centuries. She was the only person in the universe he could talk about either of their families with. Missy rolled her eyes. "Don't I know it. You're such a hippy" she drawled, smirking at his enthusiasm while lowering a hand to support her lower back. "Just don't hurt yourself and definitely don't let Daisy get hurt" she warned more firmly. The Doctor shook his head, "what do you take me for?" He questioned. "The man who took his goddaughter out for an afternoon to give her exhausted mother a break and brought her back soaking wet and crying her eyes out. She was already clingy before you took her out but literally clung to me for a week after when you brought her back. Plus I had to wash her clothes three times to get the stench of the stream out. So much for a break." Missy retorted, though there was a jovial lilt to her voice.

The Doctor bowed his head, remembering the day well. It had started with all the best intentions but ended with a screaming toddler and a terrible cold. "Point taken" he said, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Unza used to do that whenever he was in trouble" Missy laughed, "of course, he was never in trouble with me. That little smile meant he got away with everything" she added, cringing when she remembered what she had done to him in a fit of delusional rage. The Doctor shook his head at her, bypassing the incident and her poorly chosen words, instead focusing on what she had said at the beginning. "He was like me in so many ways. The girls were more like their mother but Unza, he was a mini me personality wise" the Doctor said with a fond smile. "You spoilt my kids, they knew they could get away with so much when you came out with us" he added, watching the Time Lady lower her eyes. "I hurt him though. I didn't mean to but I did" she whispered, gaze still lowered, fingernails digging unforgivingly into her palms causing specks of blood to appear. "Don't, love" the Doctor said to both her actions and words as he placed a hand on her forearm. It wasn't worth revisiting that particular route of thought. It was too long ago now. "I know you never meant to hurt him" he reaffirmed, watching the Time Lady's gaze rise to him. Missy nodded, eventually, coughing awkwardly and making to walk away.

"Busy day" she uttered, half turned away from him, "they'll be waiting for us no doubt." The Doctor grasped at her wrist, pulling her back gently. "Wait, Missy" he said, watching her halt and turn around, face full of anticipation. "You're okay, aren't you? Not having any hallucinations or hearing any voices?" He pressed, wanting to check she really was okay before they went out. It was only yesterday she hadn't been able to leave her bed and only the day before that that she had had a full blown hallucination. Missy nodded, hair falling down over her face. She pushed the strand back impatiently, huffing and scanning the room for a hairband. This body's hair was a nuisance. Almost as feral as she was. The Doctor found one first, spotting a hair clip on the chest of drawers and handing it to her knowingly. Missy accepted it with a nod of her head, quickly pulling the dark curls back and securing them at the back of her head with the clip. The Doctor took in her drawn features, the way her cheeks looked hollower, her eyes more sunken, her skin a grey-ish tone. This pregnancy had taken it's toll on her and it was becoming more evident everyday. So much for glowing, eh? He heard Missy quip in his mind, he saw her blue eyes twinkle with jest; making them stand out momentarily from the rest of her sunken features. The Time Lord regarded the other apologetically. Missy shrugged. He had nothing to be sorry for. "I'm fine. Really" she reaffirmed, hand resting at her middle, chewing at her lower lip. "I, um, I thought I saw a Dalek earlier when I first woke up" she confessed hastily, having hoped to have kept it to herself. "But I knew it wasn't really there, if that makes sense. It wasn't like with the Man in the Water. I knew where I was and that it was mind tricks." The Doctor watched on, eyebrows furrowed. She hadn't even mentioned that and he knew she wouldn't have done unless he'd asked. "Okay, it's good you were able to recognise it wasn't real but tell me if you see anything else. Please, Missy, don't keep it to yourself" he said, not wanting a repeat of the other evening. "I'm not going to hurt Daisy or any of the humans" the Time Lady retorted, misunderstanding his primary concerns.

The baby kicked and it's presence fluttered anxiously in Missy's mind. The Time Lady calmed herself. Sorry, Poppet. I'm sorry, she projected, taking a deep breath. "I'm more worried about you, sweetheart. We both know it's never good when either of us keep things to ourselves" he said gently, watching her expression soften. "I'll tell you" she muttered, rubbing the heel of her hand in circles just above her hip bone and gradually ceasing the action as the baby re-settled. The Doctor watched on. "What will you tell me?" He pressed, needing to hear her say that she would tell him everything. "If anything is wrong. Anything at all, I'll tell you. I promise" she expanded, breathing out slowly. "Thank you. Is she giving you trouble today?" The Doctor ventured, nodding at Missy's rounded middle. "No. Not really, she's a bit unsettled what with the last few days I think" the Time Lady conceded. "Okay. We'll take it slow, have a relaxing day. I hear there's an Edwardian-style cafe that does lovely afternoon tea. Sounds like your kind of thing nowadays" the Time Lord said, as they began to leave the room and join the others.

Missy nodded at his words, surprising herself when she reached for his hand. It was one thing thinking about leaving the confines of the house and another thing actually doing it. The Doctor picked up on Missy's stray thought and ran a thumb along her knuckles reassuringly. "Daisy's so excited that you're coming on a day trip with her" he said in a tone that he hoped was both encouraging and distracting. Replace the name Daisy with Daryn and it was the same technique he'd used all those centuries ago; back in the early days of her release from the prison when she had struggled to even make it out into the garden. "Is she really?" Missy asked, responding on cue with her part. They had re-played similar conversations countless times. "Absolutely. She adores spending time with you" the Doctor said, dropping her hand just as they walked down the stairs. He heard Missy hum happily behind him before commenting "She's smart, for a human child. Picked up the Gallifreyan writing pretty quickly." The Doctor nodded re-taking her hand as they reached the last step. "She must have had a good teacher too" he praised. "I think they're waiting for us in the kitchen. Now, remember, you tell me if you start to feel unwell or need a break" he advised firmly. "I will."

Daisy had been up for what felt like hours trying her best to wait for everyone to wake up. She had been pleased when she discovered the Doctor was up when she came downstairs and was uncontrollably excited when he told her they were all going out for the day. She rarely got to spend time with her mother, who was always working, let alone go out for a whole day with her. Plus, she got to go out with her three new friends who all looked like adults but only one actually managed to act like one. The young girl had been kept occupied by colouring in her sketching from the previous night while Kate and Clara spoke quietly over their cups of coffee. "So, how was Missy last night after we went to bed? She seemed to be in her own little world most of the evening" Kate remarked, sipping her coffee. The UNIT boss was surprised at the genuine concern in her voice, she never thought she would have felt worried for the Time Lady but these past few months had made her see things differently. Clara shrugged, stirring her drink and tapping the teaspoon against the rim of the mug. "She was very distant but got slightly better" the smaller woman shrugged, glancing over quickly to check Daisy wasn't paying too much attention. "I think they were both up quite late, I heard them in the bathroom and then talking in the bedroom for a few hours. I know some days Missy struggles to settle and the Doctor doesn't sleep much anyway" Clara stated, adding with a laugh "I honestly think they try their best to be quiet but neither of them are very good at it."

"Are you sure about that, dearie?" A voice with a playful lilt rang through the kitchen and caused both women to jump, coffee slopping over the edge of their cups. Daisy, who had seen the two Time Lords enter the kitchen and was silenced by the pair, burst out laughing. "Your face, mum" she giggled "you looked just like when you found deflated balloons in Gordon's room." Missy tensed. "Gordon?" She whispered, turning back to the Doctor who shook his head and went to explain the misunderstanding when Kate cut in. "No, oh no, it's not that Gordon. It's not him" she said apologetically, looking at the Time Lady who was now several shades paler. "My son's name is Gordon" Kate added, realising along with Clara and the Doctor, that Missy hadn't known that her son and the faction leader shared the same name. If it had been mentioned around her, Missy hadn't been well enough to take it in. "Oh" Missy said embarrassedly, smoothing her jumper down and tugging at a stray piece of wool. This wasn't how today was going to go. She needed to control her emotions. Daisy looked on, confused. Why was her brother's name so important? Missy caught sight of Daisy's half-coloured sketching and walked to take a seat next to the girl without looking back at the others or saying another word on the matter. "This is nearly finished then?" She commented, pointing at the drawing. Daisy nodded proudly, "do you want to help me colour the outline?" "Of course" the Time Lady smiled, picking up a purple pen.

The Doctor watched Missy's back as she walked away silently. "I'm sorry. I hadn't realised she didn't know my son was called Gordon as well" Kate whispered, re-attracting the attention of the Time Lord. "Don't worry about it. Honestly. It was bound to come up at some stage" he sighed watching as Missy seemed calm enough now she was sat with Daisy. "There's no harm done. Anyway, why were you so shocked at finding balloons in your son's bedroom? He probably just had them left over from a party." Clara laughed, the Doctor reminding her instantly how alien he actually was. "They weren't actually balloons" Kate said patiently, sounding every inch the tired mother of a teenager. The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed before shooting up in realisation. "Oh..Oh!" he exclaimed and Clara tried to hide her laugh in her coffee cup. "Well at least you wouldn't have had to worry about becoming a grandmother any time soon. "Hmm" Kate offered in response, "on that note, let's get going."

"You really are cheating" the Doctor exclaimed, pointing between Clara and Daisy as the pair giggled. "No we're not. You're just an old man, Isn't that right, Daisy?" Clara said before throwing the ball over the Time Lord's head. It wooshed past him and caused his scowl to deepen as he remained 'piggy in the middle.' Kate laughed as she watched the scene sat next to Missy. "He's such a sore loser" the UNIT boss commented, observing the Time Lady out of the corner of her eye. The Doctor had asked her to keep an eye on the Time Lady and let him know if anything seemed off. To Kate, the fact that Missy was sat next to her relatively quiet and not posing any kind of threat, seemed off to her. While she'd had to rethink the way she approached the Time Lady over the last few months, she could never completely trust Missy. She was still the Master. Missy clicked her tongue at the woman's observation. "You don't know the half of it. He made my daughter cry once when they were playing chess" she said quietly. Kate nodded, licking her lips and swallowing. "On Gallifrey?" She asked, knowingly. "Yep" Missy said with a pop of her mouth, "old Gallifrey."

The pair fell into silence again, watching the other three mess around. Missy felt the infant buzz in her mind and start to fidget; she shifted and breathed out. Kate turned and watched her, "all okay?" She asked, eyes scanning the Time Lady and watching her nod. "The baby's awake. I think I'm going to stretch my legs. Kate nodded and stood up too. "I don't need a minder" the Time Lady said, watching the blonde rise to her feet. That's debatable Kate thought, before shaking her head. "I know that. It's cold and seems like a good time to head to the café for lunch" Kate stated, waving over at the three playing. The Doctor looked over, squinting and half jogging over to Kate and Missy. "Everything okay?" He asked, running a hand down Missy's arm and cupping her elbow. "Yes" the Time Lady replied curtly, "everything's fine." The Doctor looked to Kate who nodded, "we just thought it might be time to go and have a bite to eat. Daisy will certainly be hungry" the blonde said as they started to walk uphill and meet Clara and Daisy.

It was dark when Me arrived at Alsaz's office in the Capitol, having eventually convinced Henry she'd be more than capable of travelling to Gallifrey on her own. She had, after all, been doing this a lot longer than him and had the advantage of being immortal. What was the worst they could do? Standing at the entrance, Me studied Alsaz for a few minutes. The Time Lady looked tired, she had a lot of responsibility with this project and Rassilon was a tough task master. "Knock, knock. Guess who?" Me said as chirpily as she could muster. She hadn't been chirpy since her days in the Viking village and even then it wasn't fair to call it chirpy. Alsaz looked up, a look of bewilderment turning to relief as her eyes fell on the dark haired woman. "Me!" She exclaimed, clearly relieved to see the woman. For the last few days, Rassilon had been on her back about tracking the immortal; fearful that she had been wooed over by the Doctor and had changed allegiances. At least now the woman had shown her face, Alsaz wouldn't have to follow Rassilon's orders to bring Me back any means necessary.

"Where the hell have you been?" The Time Lady asked seriously, approaching Me and embracing the woman. "Well, one of us had to keep an eye on how things were going on on Earth. It seemed best to let the human do it, Time Lords don't tend to fit in as well as they think they do in human society" Me laughed, thinking of how many faux-pas both the Doctor and Missy had made since having to be settled in one place and time on Earth. Alsaz shrugged in a way that said fair point before offering Me a seat. Returning to her seat, Alsaz studied Me's features. "Rassilon wasn't happy with your absence. He was on the verge of sending out a search party and you do not want a Gallifreyan search party after you. There would be no place in time or space that you could hide" the Time Lady said sternly, flipping through her folders. Me crossed her arms in front of her chest, realising she had returned at the right time but not willing to let her relief show. "Rassilon is a paranoid old sod, isn't he?" She said watching Alsaz suppress a laugh. "A paranoid old sod who has ears everywhere" she whispered, pointing to the corner of the room.

Me rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I wasn't happy to not be informed about this latest technique being tested. You know, the one that made Missy burn her hand. I thought you wanted this child to be born healthily, to be used as a successful weapon. At this rate, you're going to cause early birth and another failed attempt. This is the last attempt, you realise that? Now the Mistress is free and the Doctor is aware of what is happening, there will be no way of getting her back long enough to try again. This is it" Me stated, trying to stay matter-of-fact about the issue and not think of the unborn child as her baby, like she had been doing. "I know but Rassilon was worried all the work in the prison had gone to waste. She was returning to her old self and we can't have that. When she comes back to Gallifrey to give birth, we want her tamed and begging for our help" Alsaz said, signing a few papers. "Tame? You make her sound like a wild animal" Me responded, watching Alsaz's eyes shoot up. "And you think she isn't?" The Time Lady said gravely. "Don't be lured in by the charm or madness. She's nothing more than a wild animal, my family's deaths are evidence of that if nothing else. Wild animals need to be tamed or put down." Me stared back at the Alsaz and nodded. "Will you at least show me what these new techniques are?" the immortal asked. "So that I'll be able to make sure they're working properly and counter any attempts to stop them." Alsaz nodded, standing up and heading out into the corridor. "Come and follow me" the Time Lady said, leading Me down to the lab for a demonstration.

"Right, well I'm going to have a jacket potato followed by a big slice of that chocolate cake" the Doctor said, placing his menu down on the table and picking up a fresh napkin. Daisy's eyes widened and she turned to Kate hopefully. "If you eat your vegetables you can have a cake but this is the last treat, tomorrow we're having all healthy food and doing homework" Kate said. Clara stood up, "right, I'll go and order for us. Missy what are you having?" The woman asked watching Missy's vacant expression. The Time Lady was vaguely aware of the conversation about lunch but was drifting somewhere between reality and elsewhere. There was something happening in the back of her mind, she knew that much. It felt like whatever had happened before was starting up again. The Time Lady turned to Clara wordlessly and blinked a few times. Food, they were ordering food she told herself. "I'll have food. Some food" Missy said slowly, struggling to get every word out. Clara and Kate looked at each other while the Doctor laughed to himself, not looking away from the origami he had started doing with the napkin. "Don't be difficult" he joked, "you know what they mean, what food do you want?" He chuckled, turning to face the women. It was only when he caught sight of Missy's face, clouded with concentration that he realised she wasn't joking. "What? I wasn't being difficult. They asked what I wanted and we're ordering food" the Time Lady said, struggling to keep a grasp on her physical surroundings.

Out of the window, a blurred image of a young girl caught her attention. It looked familiar. It looked real. The Doctor watched on guiltily, realising his mistake as he watched Missy stare out of the window. "No, I realise that now. Sorry" he said steadily reaching out for her hand and waiting as she hesitantly drew her attention away from the window and back to the table. "Did you see her?" Missy asked, staring seriously at the Doctor; he opened his mouth to respond when a loud clang interrupted. An old lady ordering her food had dropped her purse, causing loose change to scatter across the floor echoing around the marble room. Missy jumped, cursing inwardly as she watched the frail lady bend down and retrieve her pennies. The Doctor squeezed her hand, regarding her changed demeanour. "How about having the jacket potato like me, Missy? You can have cheese and beans with it" the Time Lord suggested, watching Missy ignore him and turn back to look out the window. Whatever she had seen had caught her attention. "Can you order her the jacket potato please?" He said to Clara who nodded and made her way to the till. Daisy stayed silent looking between the Doctor and Missy, trying to figure out what was going on. Kate tugged at her daughter's arm. "Daisy, darling, let's help Clara. That way you can choose which cake you want to have" Kate said, leading the girl away with a thankful nod from the Doctor.

Missy continued staring out of the window. There had been a little girl there and not just any little girl. It was her little girl, her Maisa. "What's going on, Kos?" The Doctor asked. Missy could only hear his question as background noise, she was too focused on what she was seeing and then what she was starting to hear. Mama, I'm lost. Help me please she heard Maisa's voice in her head. Of Course, Little Pea, where are you? Tell Mama where you are Missy projected back instantly. Her daughter was back, she must have got free from the matrix in all the confusion of the Time War and was looking for her mother. Of course that was what happened. Now she must have followed her to this park on Earth and got lost. She must be so scared. She'd never been off-planet before. She was only a little girl, younger than Daisy. I'm in the park, Mama, you saw me. Come and find me please. Missy stood up as her guesses were confirmed and walked to the cafe entrance, rushing past Clara and Kate and quickly followed by the Doctor. I'm coming Little Pea, come back. "Missy, where are you going? Whatever they're telling you, it's not real" the Doctor said, half running after the Time Lady. He watched in bewilderment as Missy looked around the cafe grounds frantically; when he heard her call for Maisa his hearts stopped. This was a new low even for Rassilon. Were they really sinking so low as to trick Missy into thinking her daughter was alive? "She's not here, Missy, she can't be here. I know you know that deep down" he tried again, approaching her only to be shrugged off when he tried to lead her back inside. The Time Lady, however, was blind and deaf to everything that wasn't to do with her searching for her daughter.

Unsurprisingly, a pregnant woman shouting for her missing daughter and shrugging off a man attracted some attention from the public. A middle-aged woman approached Missy, face full of worry while the man she was with approached the Doctor with a stern expression, hands raised. "Why don't you step away from her, mate?" The man said causing the Doctor to roll his eyes. Why did humans have to be so predictable with their gender roles? "I'm trying to help her. I'm her...I'm her husband" The Doctor tried to put it in terms the man would understand; he was trying to be a good samaritan, the Doctor respected that, but right now his concern was with Missy. "You don't sound so sure about that" the man said, unconvinced. "Plus, she doesn't look so pleased to see you. I've upset my missus a fair amount, but she's never been like that with me" he said pointing to Missy who was growing more hysterical and still looking for Maisa. The Doctor sighed and watched resignedly, he knew when she was like this it wouldn't be long before she gave away the fact that she wasn't making sense and the good samaritans would realise he really was trying to help her. "I know you're trying to help, but she's not well. She just thinks she saw her dead daughter. It's the pregnancy, it's been playing havoc with her mind and has brought back a lot of old memories" the Doctor simplified the situation, watching the man's expression soften. "Look, my wife" he nodded at the woman approaching Missy, "is a nurse in a care home. She deals with all the old folk with dementia, I know it's not the same thing, but she has experience dealing with people when they get a bit confused or distressed. Why don't you just let her try and talk to her first? Give your wife a chance to calm down." The stranger suggested and the Doctor nodded, keeping as close an eye on Missy as possible.

"Maisa!" Missy continued to shout, looking around for her daughter and unaware of the human at her side. "Maisa!" There was no sign of the girl and there was no longer a connection in her mind. "Hey, have you lost someone?" The woman asked gently and Missy glared at her. The Doctor tensed as he watched the scene, fearing what his friend was about to do; she was capable of anything in this state. Missy blinked at the woman, hands itching to throttle her and stop her from wasting anymore time looking for Maisa. Then she realised, this woman might have been sent here. She might be a way of finding Maisa. She might take her to Maisa. "My daughter. She's only six, I can't find her. She'll be scared. Will you help me find her?" Missy asked quickly and the woman nodded. "Children wander off all the time at this age, we'll find her in no time. When did you last see her?" The Doctor watched the scene and tried to block out the desperation he heard in Missy's voice. He dreaded to think how she would be when she came down from this delusion. When he heard the woman's question he swallowed thickly. Here it came, the moment Missy unintentionally paints herself as insane. "About 1,000 years ago" Missy answered instantly and the woman stepped back, looking over at the Doctor and her husband in confusion.

"She died, but she came back to find me" Missy continued. The woman took an intake of breath and re-addressed the way she spoke to the Time Lady. "I think you're a bit confused, what you're saying is impossible" the woman said and the Doctor met her eyes knowingly. "For you it is" Missy hissed, still frantically searching for Maisa. "Either help me or piss off" she added, closing her eyes and willing Maisa to reach out again. Whatever hallucination this had been, it was starting to wear off and she didn't want it to. She wanted to hold on to it, to have Maisa back again. "I'll help you, I'll help" the woman said calmly in a tone only a nurse could ever master.

While pretending to look for Maisa, the woman looked back at her husband and the Doctor. "That man who came up to you before, do you know him?" The woman asked in the same calm tone. She wanted to get Missy settled and know who was with her. Frankly, she was surprised she was out at all. Missy nodded obliviously at her question. "Yes, that's Thete" she replied, now coming down from the hallucination and realising how ridiculous she was being. Maisa couldn't be here. She could never be here. Missy dropped her head, putting her hand over her mouth and letting out a muffled sob. "She's gone, she's not here. It was a lie, a trick. Why did they have to be that cruel?" She rambled as the woman stepped back giving her some space and only understanding half of what she was saying. "Thete? Where are you? I want Thete" she continued rambling. "I'm here, love, I'm right here" the Doctor said as he lunged forward, hearts breaking. This time neither the man or the woman stopped him. The woman stepped back, "Do you want us to call a doctor?" The man asked the Doctor, who shook his head. "She's okay" he said, not turning away from Missy and guiding her to the picnic bench. "We'll get you some water" the woman said, watching as the grey haired man pressed his forehead to the brunette's. It seemed to calm her, but the stranger wasn't yet happy to leave Missy. If she had it her way, there would be a medical intervention.

The Doctor didn't reply and focused on Missy, sending her as many positive, re-assuring thoughts as possible. The woman walked past her husband and into the cafe, requesting a glass of water. As she waited she caught sight of a young girl looking worried, stood in the middle of two women. "What's wrong with Missy, Mummy?" The girl asked and the taller, blonde women responded. "Nothing, sweetheart. She just went outside to get some air. Will you take the cakes back to the table and wait for us there please?" Daisy nodded, unconvinced as she walked back to the table. Clara stepped forward, approaching the woman that had been talking to Missy. "Excuse me, we're friends of the two people you were talking to out there. Is everything okay?" She asked, unsure what had been said to the woman and trying to stay as ambiguous as possible. "I'm not sure to be honest. Is your friend, the woman, on any kind of medication at the moment? Is she seeing a doctor or receiving any kind of treatment?" The woman asked, concerned and adding, "I'm a nurse, I can contact someone that will be able to help." Kate stepped in, sensing this woman wouldn't be satisfied until she knew she wasn't about to leave a vulnerable patient with no help. "I appreciate your concern but that won't be necessary. She's an outpatient and has regular appointments and check ups. We brought her out today as she'd just had a rough few days and we thought it was best to get her out of the house." The woman nodded, chewing her bottom lip as though considering something. "Does she often have hallucinations and delusions?" She asked and Kate nodded. "She was claiming she saw her dead daughter and that the last time she saw her was 1,000 years ago. I really think this needs some help" she said, watching both Clara and Kate sigh. "Her doctor is visiting tonight, we will discuss it with them then" Kate lied, adding "thank you so much for all you help though. It's really appreciated."

Reluctantly, the woman nodded and passed the water to Kate. "My husband and I better be going" she excused herself. Kate thanked the woman again before walking out and joining the two Time Lords. She paused, not wanting to interrupt them straight away. At the picnic bench the Doctor was trying to get Missy to explain what had happened. He was thankful that the park was near enough empty and they had some privacy. Missy had been mainly silent, humming to herself quietly and rocking slightly in a way he presumed she found comforting. "Missy, are you with me?" He asked gently watching her turn and laugh cynically. "You mean in the reality where Maisa is dead?" She asked harshly, not angry at him but at everything else. "Yes, I'm with you" she croaked, still rocking back and forth. Everything felt empty, she'd seen Maisa and she'd been given hope. She was elated. Then, just like that, her baby was taken from her again. "Maisa was never here, love. It was one of their tricks. A fucking cruel trick but a trick all the same" the Doctor sighed, watching Missy bow her head. He thinks he heard her say "I know", but couldn't be sure. There had been geese flying noisily overhead, retreating as late afternoon approached. Both Time Lords looked up and watched the birds silently.

As they looked back down, their eyes fell on Kate and she took that as her chance to approach the pair. Missy quickly looked away from the blonde while the Doctor offered her a small smile. "I didn't want to interrupt you" she started sitting down opposite the pair. "Yet here you are" Missy stated still not looking at the woman. She wasn't meaning to be rude to the UNIT boss, for once. It wasn't personal. She just wanted to take back some control and come down from this particularly nasty hallucination without an audience. "Be fair, Missy" the Doctor warned, though it lacked the usual firmness of his warnings. He watched her shoulders drop and sighed, turning back to Kate. "It's okay, you're not interrupting" the Time Lord said, watching Kate push a bottle of water across to him on the table. "That woman thought Missy might want some water" Kate said nodding at the bottle. Missy snorted derisively. "Is it magic water?" The Time Lady spat, examining her nails and reluctantly reaching back for the bottle. Neither Kate nor the Doctor said anything as Missy drank the water and placed it back behind her. "I know that couple were trying to help, but it would have been a lot easier if they'd just let me talk to Missy" he sighed, looking over at the Time Lady who had closed her eyes again and was humming the same tune to herself; she was clearly trying to calm herself down. The Doctor thinks he remembers it as a lullaby she used to sing to Maisa.

Kate nodded. "I know. Unfortunately, a scene like that attracts attention. The woman was a nurse. I'm pretty sure she wanted to call an ambulance, which would have led to Missy probably being sectioned." Kate was unsure how much Missy was actually listening to the conversation, she appeared to be paying little attention to it. "I've never been sectioned on Earth. That would be a new one for the CV" the Time Lady sang with a false cheerfulness. The Doctor reached for her hand and felt it trembling. It's not going to happen, love, you're not going anywhere. He projected into her mind, retreating as slowly as possible as he felt the cold, desolate landscape. It was so grey and so cold and so dark and he received no response from her. There was, however, one bright burning light in the middle of the horizon. It looked nervous, but was safe and settling more and more each second. The light observed the Doctor curiously and he realised instantly it was the baby that had retreated away and hidden from the latest attack on the Time Lady's psyche. Missy hadn't been trying to soothe herself with the humming but the infant instead. All her energy, and there wasn't much left of it, was going on settling the baby.

The Time Lady looked at him knowingly as he turned to face her. "Sorry. Sorry I didn't realise that's what you were doing" he said quickly, realising that any distraction would have put Missy off soothing the infant. "It's okay. She's settled now, she's asleep." Kate watched the interaction silently, guessing it was something she would never understand. The Doctor nodded and studied Missy's tired features. He wasn't sure if she was physically and mentally exerted from the attack or just generally exhausted by it all. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and gently stroked her cheek. "You were amazing doing that. That must have taken a lot" he praised, knowing how hard it was to do anything even remotely telepathic after such an assault.

Missy nodded tiredly and he watched her lean into his touch, eyes drifting shut and flickering open quickly. "M'tired now" she yawned, trying to forget everything that had happened in the last hour. To forget that she had briefly believed that Maisa had come back to her. Kate coughed attracting both their attentions. "I think it's best we call it a day" she said, looking back into the cafe and watching the waiter deliver the hot food to their table. The Doctor nodded in agreement while Missy shook her head in protest as she faced Kate, tucking her legs under the table. "Don't ruin the day for Daisy" she said with a yawn. "Daisy has had the best day ever, she won't mind leaving now, it'll get dark soon anyway. Maybe we can come back to yours and watch a film. Something relaxing for all of us. I know Daisy's already exhausted as it is" Kate said as tactfully as possible. "At least let her eat her food. I bet she's eating up that salad to make sure she gets her cake. Don't want to rid her of the last treat, do you?" Missy said, surprising both Kate and the Doctor who hadn't thought she was aware of much when they were in the cafe. Though, the latter had long learnt not to be surprised at what the Master actually knew at any given moment. "Okay, we'll compromise then. First we'll eat, then we'll go back" the Doctor said. Adding "and by eating, that includes you Missy. You haven't had anything to eat all day, don't think I haven't noticed." Missy looked at him warily and shook her head. "I feel sick" she replied instantly, "and I'm not going back in there. Not after that scene." The Doctor nodded expecting both responses. "Share mine, we'll eat out here. You'll feel better if you have just a little bit" he tried. Missy, too tired to argue, nodded resting her head on her arms on the table. The Doctor rubbed her back, gently "good girl. Thank you, Missy."

Kate got up "I'll bring out some food" she said quietly, watching the pair. Any other day, she would think Missy was being melodramatic. The Doctor nodded, not turning away from Missy. "I'll tell Clara what's happening as well" she said walking into the cafe. The Time Lord watched in silence as Missy seemed to rest like that for an age. "It makes me tired. I'm already always tired at the moment and then when they do their tricks I'm exhausted" she muttered, not lifting her head. The Doctor had to strain his ears to hear every muffled word. "I know. You don't need to explain, love. Just have a little rest." Missy turned her head to one side, resting against the crook of her arm and looking at him. She went to say something but was interrupted by Kate's return. "Here you go" the human declared, placing the plate down. Missy side eyed the jacket potato and swallowed. All she wanted to do right now was sleep, not be forced to eat some mediocre human excuse for food. The steam from the food rose up and mingled with the autumn mist. "We'll be ready to go in about half an hour" Kate said, passing the Doctor two sets of knives and forks. "Thanks" the Time Lord uttered, not taking his eyes off Missy and the way she was staring at the food. Whenever she was like this, she had a complicated relationship with food; with anything that resembled routine, in fact. Oftentimes, she'd go days without eating. He knew for a fact that they had starved her in prisons and 'hospitals' before now. It had become a game of control for her, eventually, how long could she go without eating before she caved. Everything in the end came down to control with her and he knew this was what her refusal to eat was really about. Anyway, she had to eat for the sake of the baby now as much as it was for her own sake. "We'll come out and meet you when we're ready to go" Kate said, looking at the back of Missy's head and wondered if she'd moved at all since she'd left the pair; glancing at the Doctor it was hard to tell. The Time Lord nodded, we'll be right here" he said and Kate took it as a her cue to leave.

The Doctor cut into the potato, slicing it in half. Missy watched him silently. "Do you remember how often you were allowed to eat when you were with the faction?" He asked, half watching the Time Lady's blue eyes follow his every movement as he scooped potato and cheese on to the fork. "One meal a day until I got pregnant. I tried to refuse the meal for the first few months, I didn't want to feel like an animal being fed at a certain time by captors. When I got pregnant, they forced me to eat, giving me injection supplements instead" she replied cooly. The Doctor nodded, passing her the fork. She took it and stared at it blankly. "You got used to not eating again, didn't you?" He observed. "I've been eating" she objected, but half-heartedly. "Not much, love. You usually take prompting or eat sporadically when you have cravings. You're not proving anything to anyone by not eating, Missy. You'll just make yourself feel worse" he tried to persuade her, watching her sigh and close her eyes. "I'm tired" she said and she did look it. "I know. Just three forkfuls for me. Please" he pressed knowing he was talking to her like a child but not knowing how else to address her at that moment. Hesitantly, Missy pushed herself up and shakily brought the fork to her mouth; taking small mouthfuls. The Doctor smiled encouragingly as he watched her chew and swallow slowly; he didn't say anything for fear he would startle her into stopping.

"Maisa's blanket" Missy said quietly after swallowing her last forkful and pushing the plate away. The Time Lord sighed, he'd been hoping once she started eating, she'd eat more than the three requested forkfuls. She hadn't and he knew he couldn't push her. "Maisa's blanket" the Doctor echoed in confusion. "You said you have it still, that I gave you a box of her things. Can we get Maisa's blanket on the way back? I'd like to have something of hers with me tonight. You know, after everything that happened this afternoon" Missy trailed off. "Of course, yes, yes" the Doctor rambled in understanding "we'll do that on the way back sweetheart. I've got all her stuff tucked away safe with my kids' things. It'll be good to check in on the Tardis anyway." He said finally finding his tongue. Missy absentmindedly played with the leftover food and he held his breath as she brought scraps of potato to her mouth. He didn't say anything, just observed in content silence. "You keep Maisa's things with your kids' stuff?" She asked, astounded. "Where else would I keep it?" The Doctor asked honestly. While Maisa's belongings were in his charge, there was no question of them being kept anywhere but the safest place on the Tardis. Missy felt tears form in her eyes and she rubbed at them furiously. "That's so...lovely" she mumbled, reflecting on the fact that Maisa had never got to meet Theta's children in her lifetime. Even though all three of his children were grown up by the time Maisa had been loomed, Missy likes to imagine that they would have all got along well.

The Doctor watched the Time Lady and realised how much of a shock this particular hallucination had been; he wonders if she would have rather burnt her hand again than think she'd seen Maisa. Regretfully, he knows the answer. Almost as though she picked up on his thoughts, and if she wasn't so tired, he would have thought she had, Missy smiled sadly. "I really thought I'd seen her. I thought she'd come back and she was lost and confused because she never left Gallifrey and she was only a little girl" the Time Lady said eyes still clouded with tears, skin deathly pale bar the redness of her cheeks; testament to the icy bite in the wind. As the words tumbled out of her mouth, it was like Missy was just coming down from the shock of it all and realising for the first time everything that had happened. Her hearts ached. She felt sick. "I want to see her again, Thete. I just want to hold my little girl again." Centuries had passed and Missy still sounded the way she had done the morning after Maisa's death. It was the same way he sounded when he spoke about his children's deaths. "Koschei" he said softly, opening his arms wide "come here, love." Within an instant, she was in his arms and clinging to him. "Why can't I see her again?" She cried and the Doctor rubbed small circles in her back. "I just want to see her and hold her and smell her" she said breathily between sobs. "Was I that bad a mother that she had to go away forever?" The Doctor continued making soothing noises into her ear and rubbing her back. He could feel her swollen stomach pushing against him, but he didn't mind. He pulled her into a tighter embrace and let her press her face against his collarbone. She sniffed against him and he wondered if she took the same comfort in his familiar scent as he did in hers. From the looks of it, she did. As her sobs subsided, he braved talking. "I can't give you the answers you want. I can't tell you why she died, why any of them had to die" he said tiredly, running a hand up to her hair and stroking it repeatedly. Looking up, he saw Kate and the others approaching and held his other hand up for them to wait. The three of them halted, standing there like perfect statues paused in time. The Doctor looked at the Mistress sobbing in his arms, knowing she wouldn't want Daisy to see her like this. He wondered if she realised every being she had ever killed likely had someone who loved them as much as she loved Maisa. That every time she snatched a life away, she was inflicting this kind of suffering onto somebody else. She probably did. She probably liked it that way. If she had to suffer, so did everyone else. The Doctor sighed. There was no point in addressing that avenue of thought, things were too far gone now; he knew nothing could change. "I can tell you, though, that you were not a bad mother. You adored Maisa before she was even here. I remember all those years you spent pining for a baby, a little being all of your own to love and raise. I remember when she was loomed and everything including me, the drums, the madness came in second to that little girl. You adored her and she adored you. Her death had nothing to do with you Missy. It wasn't your fault. I will tell you that forever, even if you never believe me." Missy pressed against the Doctor harder, never wanting to let go. "She was supposed to be my saviour. Stop me from being lonely and stop me from being so mad" Missy sniffed and the Doctor felt his jumper dampen. "I know. I know. This was an awful trick for them to play on you. They shouldn't have done that to you" he soothed, watching her lift her head and, as though sensing the presence of the three humans behind her, turn around. "We're going now?" She asked, turning back to the Doctor. "Yes, love, we're going now."

Me sat in silence as Alsaz turned off the monitor. "That's how it always ends at the moment. The Doctor manages to bring her around and coddle her and tell her it'll all be okay" the Time Lady said, turning to Me. Orange sand lashed against the window as another sandstorm took hold, the human was glad to be in the air conditioned offices and away from the unforgiving heat. She dreaded to think what it was like for the villagers without such luxuries. It reminded her of the time she spent in the 'Holy Land' during the Crusades, she'd been on neither side, of course, having seen the rise and downfall of many religions even by that time. Instead, she'd worked as a nurse; healing those she could and comforting those she couldn't. Me wondered how a planet whose inhabitants held such contempt for the human's and their primitive nature could have such inequalities on their own planet. She knew that the villagers were suffering outside the Citadel, that there was no one standing up for them but they would still be the first to die in the new Time War. "Did you have to use Maisa? You've lost children. I've lost children. There were other ways you could have done that" the raven haired woman said, image of the desperate look on Missy's face imprinted in her mind's eye. "I've lost children because of her" Alsaz reminded instantly. "If I can make her suffer like I had to suffer then I will." Me shook her head as the Time Lady continued. "Anyway, for the longest time we thought the Doctor was the Master's only weakness. Now we know about Maisa, it seems a shame not to use it to our advantage." Me swallowed, trying to hide her true feelings on the matter. "Will it hurt the baby? It can't be healthy to keep causing Missy this much distress" she said cooly, controlling her voice. "The Mistress has shown to be more maternal than any of use expected. She's putting the baby first and had been shown to comfort the baby before taking care of her own needs" Alsaz replied and Me tried not to think of the implications of Missy bonding with the baby. "Besides, we are using the technique scarcely. Only once a day rather than continuously, that way we can guarantee the safety of the infant while taming the Mistress." The wind picked up outside and covered the window in a thick layer of fresh sand. "Sounds like you have it all worked out" Me commented. "I have to go. I'll be back soon, in the meantime, keep me updated" the human said, punching co-ordinates into her vortex manipulator and latching onto the most readily available source of temporal energy: The Tardis.

Kate brought the car to a stop, pulling on the handbrake and making it judder slightly. Turning back, she found Missy laying against the Doctor and snoring slightly. Daisy was immersed in some game on the I pad. That had been her bribery for letting the Doctor sit in the middle next to Missy instead of her. Missy had been silent the whole walk back to the car and fell asleep instantly; she was exhausted. The Doctor tried to explain subtly to Clara and Kate how exhausting it was to experience any kind of mental attack and then try and use mental abilities to comfort another being straight after. Clara had said he didn't need to justify anything, just let her sleep now. After all, she was doing no harm. Kate had agreed, adding that while she couldn't relate to the mental exertion, she could remember the third trimester of her pregnancy and that that had been tiring enough. The Doctor silently watched Missy sleeping throughout the journey to UNIT. Occasionally, her brow furrowed in distress and he stroked it softly until she settled again.

The Time Lord was tracing his fingertips over her forehead when Kate turned back and called his name. "We're here, Doctor. I want to drop by the offices so I'll come in with you. Clara, will you be alright to wait here with Daisy and Missy?" The woman asked and Clara nodded. The Doctor looked from Kate back to Missy and shook his head. "No, I can't leave her here. What if she wakes up confused?" He said, starting to lightly shake Missy's shoulder. "She's fine, she's fast asleep" Clara countered, "it wouldn't be fair to wake her now. You'll only be ten minutes or so." The Doctor shook his head. "Even so, I don't want to risk it" he said definitively, turning back to Missy. "Missy, can you wake up for me sweetheart?" He said gently in Gallifreyan, watching the Time Lady roll off his shoulder and lean against the window, eyes firmly closed. "Leave her sleep, Doctor, it's not fair" Kate reasoned, watching Missy's face contort and a slight whimper escape her lips. The Doctor ignored her pointedly and Kate turned her attention to Daisy, asking the girl to step out of the car so the Doctor could get out and meet Missy. Daisy did just that and the Doctor quickly got out of the car and walked around to Missy; opening the door and crouching by her side. "Hey, hey, hey" he cooed, running a thumb across her knuckles. Missy's eyes shot open and she stared blearily at the Time Lord; her mouth forming in an 'o' shape as she tried to figure out what was happening. "We're at UNIT. We're going to get Maisa's blanket. Do you want to come with me?" Missy nodded wordlessly and let him lead her out of the car. Kate looked at Clara and they both realised that the Doctor was just as scared as Missy was. "I don't think she had much choice on the matter" Clara muttered, not that either Time Lord heard. Missy was still half asleep while the Doctor was too wrapped up in Missy. Kate nodded at her observation, offering a shrug that said there was nothing the could do. "Will you be alright with Daisy still? I doubt we'll be long" Kate said, undoing her seatbelt. "Sure. I'll see you in a bit."

The two Time Lords made it to the Tardis eventually. It was hidden in a cellar separate from the rest of the archives. The Doctor approached her slowly, fondness and the realisation of how much he had missed his Tardis growing with each step he took. "Hello Sexy, oh have I missed you" he exclaimed, reaching a hand up to the door and stroking his hand lovingly over the exterior. The Tardis buzzed against him telepathically, happy to have her thief close by again. Missy lagged behind and the Doctor noted her lack of comment on his affection for the Tardis. Usually, she would have something sarcastic to say about it. Today, she just waited by the side resting her head against the door and letting her eyes drift shut. As the Time Lady rested there, however, she did let herself relax at the familiar feeling of temporal energy. It was comforting after the alien suburban life they had been living. "Come on love, let's go inside" the Doctor said, opening the door and guiding her inside.

The console room came to life as the two entered, lighting up and warming. "I'm going to do a quick sweep of the main areas and get Maisa's blanket" the Time Lord stated, watching Missy's blank expression light up at the mention of Maisa. It was as though she had forgotten the exact reasons they had come to the Tardis in the first place. The Time Lady nodded while the Doctor led her to the armchair just under the console room. She was docile and placid and the Time Lord finds her passive behaviour strange, hoping it will pass when she has had a proper rest. "Will you rest here for me?" Missy nods and then yawns. "I'll wait here. My head really hurts, Thete. Why does it hurt?" The Time Lady asks, laying down on her side. She knew she was tired and that something had happened but she couldn't remember what exactly had happened. She had definitely had some kind of hallucination, it had been a bad one. The Doctor watched Missy's face cloud over as she tried to piece together what had happened over the last few hours; if she had forgotten the exact nature of this hallucination he was in no rush to remind her. Placing the back of his hand to her forehead, he noted she did have a slight temperature. These mental attacks were starting to have an impact on her physically as well as mentally. "You had a bit of a turn. Don't worry about it" the Doctor said gently. "Have a rest and your head will feel better" he advised, patting her hair down and watching as she turned on her side closing her eyes.

When he was sure Missy was resting, the Doctor quickly walked around the Tardis checking that everything was in order. Once satisfied, he walked into a room off the old library. In the room, that he hadn't been in for many years, there was a deadlocked safe. Opening the safe, he finds four ancient boxes; a memory box for his three children and Maisa. Each box is decorated with stars and moons and planets that move around as though they are the real thing. The stars and moons are in different positions on each box, reflecting the different times of the year that each Time Tot was loomed. There are a gold plates on the top of each box each with a Gallifreyan inscription of the four names, their dates of looming and their dates of death. The Doctor traces his fingers along Unza, Daryn and Rilni's boxes and sends them each an equivalent to a Gallifreyan prayer. He hopes that somewhere, somewhen the prayer finds them. The Time Lord's fingers itch to open the boxes and surround himself with little parts of his children's lives; he knows he can't, though. If he were to open their boxes, he wouldn't be able to let them go. He'd spend hours looking through the past and regretting all the decisions he'd made. He couldn't afford to fall into that mistake. Not now, not when Missy needed him to be the strong one. Reaching the fourth and final box, the Doctor opened it tentatively. For a moment he considered taking the whole box with him, entertaining the idea that it would bring Missy some kind of happiness to have a selection of Maisa's belongings to look through and have close by. The Time Lord quickly thinks twice, however, when he remembers that things like the Time Tot's death certificate and pictures of a sickly Maisa, days from death are in the box. Missy wasn't able to cope with seeing that in normal circumstances, let alone now.

Opening up the box, he decided to sift through the contents retrieving items that he thought would bring Missy comfort not cause even more distress. The first thing he selected was the blanket that Missy had asked for. Looking at the old rag, he remembered fondly how it had been Maisa's constant companion throughout her short life. Koschei had swaddled her in it as a newly loomed Time Tot, Maisa had dragged it around everywhere as a toddler and she had still needed it when she was a little girl to get to sleep. Smiling and tucking the blanket away in his pocket he set about looking through the other items. There was about a dozen or so pictures, all about the size of a postcard and faded. One picture showed Koschei cuddling up to a very young Maisa, holding her close to her chest. The Doctor remembers taking it on that first day that he had gone to meet Maisa. One moment he'd been talking away to Koschei and sipping tea, then there had been a long pause and Theta had turned around, finding Time Lady and Time Tot fast asleep. Throwing a blanket over the pair, he had watched for a few seconds. Listening to the new breaths of life that Maisa took as she rested on her mother's chest. The Time Tot's tiny lips formed the perfect rosebud shape as she slept soundly. The Time Tot's whole body rose and fell with Koschei's steady breaths as she too slept peacefully. The Time Lady rested one protective hand on Maisa's back and the other on the back of her head. There was an expression on her face that he hadn't seen cross her features for so many centuries. She looked happy and peaceful. Theta knew he had to take a picture of the moment for posterity's sake. So he did. And now, nearly a thousand years later, he was so glad he had taken it. Of course, neither of them could have possibly predicted how horrifically things had turned out for both their families. The Doctor pushed that thought out of his mind and instead remembered showing the photo to Koschei. She had been so gushy and sentimental during the first year of Maisa's life and he thinks that he remembers her crying happy tears when she saw the picture. He briefly wonders whether or not she'll be able to bond like that with the baby she was now circumstances were different, of course, but Missy clearly loved the baby. That much was clear by the way she had used the remainder of her energy to soothe her. How she would react after the birth, in the exhaustion and with all the hormones was yet to be seen. Either way, though, she would have to bond with the baby to some extent to ensure the infant's wellbeing.

The Doctor sighed. These were all things he could think about later. He went back to sifting through the contents of the box, pocketing several more photographs. Pulling out an official looking document, the Time Lord quickly read the death certificate placing it back at the bottom of the box. That was not one that Missy needed to see right now. Delving into the box, he found three children's pictures. Two of them were stick drawings of Yimin, Koschei and Maisa outside their little cottage in the village. The final one was a scribble of a child first learning to write. It read: Mama, I love you more than time and the stars. Forever and ever and ever love Maisa. The Doctor pocketed all three drawings and, along with a selection of pictures and the blanket, decided that that would be enough for now. Maybe, when Missy was more stable, they could look through the rest of the box but right now it would be too much. Closing it up and placing it back in it's place with the other three boxes, the Doctor walked out of the room. On the way out he repeated the same prayers he had on the way in and turned the light out.

Underneath the console room, Missy woke with a start. All the bleariness and confusion that was there before fell away as she realised what had woken her was a burst of temporal energy in the room above. There was an intruder in the Tardis. A real one, not a hallucinatory one. Standing up, the Time Lady reached for the nearest object she could find. It was a walking stick, not ideal but better than nothing. Climbing the stairs she scanned the console room, finding that in the centre there was a scattering of red dust. Missy froze. That was Gallifreyan sand. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a blur of black hair and ivory skin pass brush behind her. The Time Lady raised the walking stick, ready to strike as she spun on her heel in pursuit of the intruder. Her instincts weren't up to their usual standard, but she could still deliver a fatal blow if she had to.

"Missy!" The Doctor exclaimed upon seeing the Time Lady poised and ready to attack; he feared she was hallucinating again. Missy turned in one swift movement, pointed at the pile of red dust and made a gesture in the air. "There's an intruder. Can't you smell the change in atmosphere" she said, eyes scanning the room for the intruder. The Doctor inhaled, looking from Missy to the sand and eventually tasting the tainted atmosphere that had been disturbed by recent travel. "Let me deal with it, Missy. They're from Gallifrey and might be here to try and get the baby back there" he reasoned, trying to talk the Time Lady down. She shook her head and raised the walking stick higher "those bastards always insist that I am a monster and that I deserve to be hurt by them" she stated, eyes glazed over and staring straight ahead. "I'm going to show them what real hurt feels like" she added. The Time Lady directed her attention back to searching for the intruder. "Come out from the shadows, you coward" she demanded, scanning every corner desperately.

In the far left of the room, there was a rustling as Me emerged. The immortal looked more than a little frazzled, hair frizzing and face paled as she rushed forward, hands raised. "Wait, wait" she said breathily, "it's only me. I had to go back to Gallifrey to find out what was going on with the thing" she explained, panting as she pointed to the side of her head. As she raised her hand, a blown Vortex Manipulator came into view. "I had to lock onto a portal with a stronger capability to travel in time and space. The Tardis was the only one I could think of" Me added, walking further towards the two Time Lords. Missy felt herself relax when she saw the small human emerge. Adrenaline had kept her going but the fear of actually having to come face to face with one of the Time Lords that had imprisoned her was terrifying. Dropping the walking stick to the floor, she rested her hand on her bump and released a breath. The baby was up again and fidgeting.

The Doctor nodded at Me and watched out of the corner of his eye as Missy's shoulders slumped and she leaned against the controls for support. Turning to fully face her, the Time Lord scrutinised her expression checking that she was okay. "Missy, do you want to sit down?" He asked carefully, running his hand down her arm. The Time Lady shook her head, staring at the broken Vortex Manipulator on the woman's wrist, letting off little sparks of electricity. Pushing off the railing, she walked towards Me, pulling her arm forward and examining the device. "Are you hurt?" She asked the woman, matter of factly as she noted the red burns along her pale wrist. "Nothing serious" Me said, shocked at the Time Lady's apparent concern. "You need to take this off" Missy said, pointing at the device. "Get it off and I'll fix it for you. You can't be trying to travel to and from Gallifrey with a faulty Manipulator. Any other planet and you could probably risk it, but not Gallifrey. It'll only take one sniff of trouble for them to know you're a double agent and then all hell will rain down on you. Trust me, you don't want that." Missy warned solemnly. Me coughed, "I know. I've been trying to get it off but I keep getting shocks" she said, Missy hummed in comprehension. "You'll need the Doctor's screwdriver to sonic out of there. Thete, bring your screwdriver here."

The Doctor walks over, assessing the broken manipulator and reaching for his sonic. Missy holds her hand out waiting for the sonic. "I can do this, Kos. You're still tired" he warned, looking at her worn features. Missy shook her head. "I'm better at this. You know that" she asserted, waving her hand again for the screwdriver. The Doctor reluctantly handed it to her, "fine. You get it off, but fix it later. There's no rush is there, Me?" He asked, turning to the immortal who shook her head and watched as Missy released her wrist from the device, dropping it to the floor.

As the Time Lady bent down to pick it up, she winced and cursed at the discomfort that washed over her. The Doctor scooped up the Manipulator instead. "You need to be careful, love, come on. After everything this afternoon, you're exhausted. I want us to get back so you can rest properly." Missy nodded, she did want to go back and sleep and pretend nothing really existed. "Bring the Vortex Manipulator with us. I'll fix it for you tonight" Missy said to Me, yawning. The dark haired human nodded, biting her lower lip and considering whether or not to say anything about what she had seen. She decided to say something. "I saw what the Time Lords did, tricking you with Maisa. I'm so sorry that was awful" she said quickly and sincerely. Missy looked at her feet and Doctor stood to her side protectively. "I want to go now" the Time Lady whispered and the Doctor nodded. "Okay, love, why don't you go outside? I think Kate's just out there and we'll get going" he suggested, wanting to briefly catch up with Me. Missy nodded and walked to the doors. "Just outside. I'll wait just there" she muttered as she left.

When Missy had left, the Doctor turned back to Me. "You're not badly hurt, are you?" The woman shook her head. "No" Me asserted, "that type of time travel just really knocks, it out of you. I don't know how Missy managed to do it for so long." The Doctor bowed his head, "she's a Time Lady, Me. Despite everything else, you're still mainly human." Me nodded, "we all have our weaknesses." There was an awkward silence, the only noise between the pair was the humming of the Tardis. She was happier, more content, with her thief close by. It made her fell less like an empty machine and more like the sentient being she was. The Doctor felt the change in attitude of his Tardis and looked back at Me. "Why don't you rest here? The Tardis needs company and being near a time sensitive being will help to balance the temporal energy in your system" the Doctor suggested. "I need to go to the science department, see Osgood and the others to let them know what is happening" Me protested. "Plus don't you want to know what is going on?" "I'm guessing it's another telepathic manipulation technique?" Me nodded. "They can make her believe anything they want. They're terrified of her coming back to Gallifrey untamed." The Doctor flinched at the wording. He hated it when she was referred to like an animal. "I said from the start, Missy's wellbeing would always be my main concern. At the moment, she's settled. Tired and confused, yes, but definitely settled. I'm taking her home to rest and I think you should rest too. Bring Henry around to the Tardis too, if you like, just make sure you take a break." Me nodded, "thank you." The Doctor did up his jacket, "no thank you. I know I haven't said it as much as I could have but I do appreciate everything you're doing for us. I know you have your own motivations, heck doesn't everyone? But I also believe that you want to help." Me looked at her feet, shrugging. It was times like these that the girl he'd met all those years ago shone through. It reinforced that Ashildr was still there. Me looked up, covering a yawn. "Now go and rest before you drop" the Time Lord ordered. The Tardis hummed and dimmed her lights, as the Doctor said his goodbyes and Me headed to the Zero Room.


	33. Chapter Thirty-three

Of all the films that Daisy had to choose to watch, it had to be Frozen. Kate had watched the film on re-run for the best part of three years and Daisy still hadn't tired of it. The UNIT boss was pleased, then, that she didn't have to sit through another rendition of "Let it Go." Instead, that duty fell to the two Time Lords who sat in the lounge with Daisy while Kate and Clara retreated to the relative safety of the kitchen. As Clara marked homework and Kate replied to emails, they could hear serious debates going on between the Doctor and Daisy. Poking her head around the door, Kate smiled as she watched her daughter turn away from her colouring and order the Time Lord to be quiet and watch to see what happened. The Doctor made a small noise of protest before being warned again and returning to combing his fingers through Missy's hair. The Time Lady was absently watching the film, drifting in and out of sleep and holding Maisa's blanket close to her chest.

Kate laughed silently before returning to the Kitchen. "Do you think Time Lords ever grow up?" she asked. Clara closed the last exercise book and shook her head "not the ones I've met" she said, walking to the fridge. "Do you want anything?" She asked, retrieving a carton of orange juice. "No thanks. Once the film's over I want to get going. Daisy needs to do some homework and Missy's exhausted, it's not fair on her for us to stay too long" Kate replied. "Is she asleep now?" Clara asked, pouring a glass of juice. "Drifting in and out. To be honest, I don't think she'll rest properly until we're gone" Kate stated. "She's clinging to her daughter's blanket. I can't imagine how old that thing must be" she sighed. Clara smiled sadly. "There's only ten minutes or so left of the film. Let's go and join them" Kate said, heading back out into the lounge.

"Shh" Daisy protested turning around with a look of complete frustration on her face as Kate and Clara entered the room. The disturbance also caught Missy's attention and she turned into the Doctor, grumbling and pressing against him as tight as possible, as though in doing so she was able to hide away. "It's just Clara and Kate, sweetheart, you know them" he soothed, rubbing her back. In this close proximity, even he felt the baby moving about as she kicked and he felt Missy's abdomen move. He could only feel sympathy for her as she whined again in discomfort. As the pregnancy had gone on, it had become more and more apparent that she was experiencing a tough one. It also became more and more apparent that this was such a difficult pregnancy because it was a human pregnancy forced upon her by the Time Lords. Her body wasn't made for this. "M'tired" Missy murmured against his chest as she felt the baby resettle. Nothing felt right. Time was moving in a strange way, one minute she was experiencing it in the way she usually did and then she wasn't. It was draining and left her feeling empty. Now the humans were back and watching her like a side show. At least she had the comfort of Maisa's blanket, she thought, bringing the blanket to her nose and inhaling the scent. She tried to convince herself that she could still smell her daughter, in reality she couldn't. It was just stars and time that remained and sent the Time Lady back to the alien way she was feeling time pass.

"Go to sleep then, love. If you have a sleep, I'll be right here with you" the Doctor soothed, looking at how pale she was and wondering what was going on. He checked her temperature again. It was still high but not worryingly so. "They're all watching me" Missy whispered, shirking away from his touch and letting out another groan as the baby moved. "No one's watching you darling, I promise. They're all watching a talking snowman and reindeer" he tried again softly, watching her furrow her brow in confusion. He laughed gently at the way her nose scrunched up and realisation dawned on her face. "Film, we're watching a film" she giggled to herself "I thought we were back on that Christmas planet for a minute." The Doctor sshed her quickly, pointing to Daisy who was thankfully too immersed in the film to pay much attention.

Missy eased herself up looking at the TV as the credits began to roll. She stumbled slightly, feeling dizzy as the strangeness of Time engulfed her again. "Steady" the Doctor said, watching her wobble and look at him dazedly. For a minute, he wondered if she was about to be sick or pass out. "Are you alright? You're acting quite spaced out, love" he commented. In the background Kate put her jacket on and told Daisy to do the same. The girl sulked a bit but eventually did it. "Time" Missy muttered, "it's all strange. You know when it goes strange" she asserted, staring at the Doctor knowing that he was the only one that could understand properly.

The Doctor nodded, sudden realisation dawning as he noted the symptoms corresponded with Time Distortion. He knew her sense of time had been manipulated in the faction prison and that it sometimes caused problems but it had obviously been worsened by her turn earlier and her tiredness had developed into full blown Time Distortion. It was a common enough ailment among Time Lords and Gallifreyans, leading to wooziness and confusion that was easily treated. As common as it was, it didn't make it any less unsettling for the person suffering from it. "Oh darling, why didn't you tell me?" He asked, realising how pointless the question was as the words left his mouth. Time Distortion was so disorientating that it was hard to explain what was happening. Usually, you just knew you felt off and couldn't explain why. Missy opened her mouth, lips forming an 'o' as she tried to explain. "No, no don't worry. It was stupid of me, I know it's hard to explain so don't worry about trying love" the Doctor rushed, running his thumb across her forehead. She looked so tired. "We'll sort it out. I don't have any of the conventional treatments for Time Distortion but we can arrange something, I'm sure" he soothed, stroking her hair back comfortingly.

Kate collected her bag and headed to the door, holding Daisy's hand. "We're going to go" she said quietly as the Doctor went to stand up and show her out she waved him away. He was left hovering awkwardly. "We'll see ourselves out" she smiled, "but I think we'll be around again soon." The UNIT boss asserted, knowing that she wanted to keep a close eye on everything that was going on. The Doctor nodded, "well, you're always welcome" the Time Lord stated, looking back at Missy as she closed her eyes and turned into the sofa, curling up. He turned back to Kate, "especially if you bring Daisy with you again" he said, eyes twinkling. Daisy laughed but still looked over at Missy, concern dripping from her features. The Doctor followed her line of vision and said quietly, "Missy's fine, darling, she's just a bit tired" Daisy furrowed her brows and bit her lip. This was like when her Grandma was ill and they all spoke in hushed tones and lied to her. "Is it the baby?" The girl whispered, trying to be like the adults and afraid of waking her. "Well growing a baby is tiring work" Kate laughed, ruffling the girl's hair, "you knackered me out" she laughed, trying to distract her daughter. The Doctor nodded, "yes, it'll be the baby" he said, "you can go and say goodbye to her though, she'll like that."

Kate looked at Missy curled up on the sofa and hovered, the Time Lady looked like a wounded animal set to attack at any moment, she held onto her daughter's hand a bit tighter, "we'll say goodbye and then be going" she said, walking over to the Time Lady with Daisy. "Bye Missy" Daisy said, standing by the arm of the sofa. Missy grumbled and looked up at the girl blearily. "Oh Daryn" she yawned, "bye sweetheart, I'll see you soon" she said before returning to slumber. The Doctor's hearts stropped at the mention of Daryn and he swallowed thickly. Daisy looked on, "who's Daryn?" She asked, confused. The Doctor shook his head a few times. "She's just a bit jumbled" he uttered, shaking himself "she meant to say Daisy." The girl nodded, accepting what she was told. Clara stood "come on, I'll see you out."

The Doctor leaned against the radiator and took a steadying breath. Missy had drifted back into a light sleep and hadn't even realised her mistake. Her light snoring and the grumbling of the pipes within the walls was the only sound in the room. Running his hand over his face, he tried to push thoughts of Daryn and his children out of his mind as he watched her sleep. If his own experience of Time Distortion was anything to go by, she would be awake again in a matter of minutes. In the hallway he could hear mumblings of conversations as Clara exchanged farewells. Eventually, the door shut and footsteps were heard making their way up the gravel driveway. Clara re-entered just as the darkened living room was lit up by headlights. The room went dark again as Kate's car drove into the night. The Doctor went back to the sofa and lifted Missy's legs placing them back into his lap. "Can I turn this lamp on?" Clara nodded at the coffee table next to where she was sat. "Yes, yes that's fine. We'll keep the main lights off though" the Doctor replied, massaging Missy's ankles and watching her face contort in her sleep. Try to stay asleep, love, you'll feel better if you sleep he projected, hoping that it would convince her to stay asleep for a little while longer. She appeared to settle again and the Doctor turned back to Clara. "Was today too much for her?" She asked, pulling her legs underneath her and resting her head in her hand. The Doctor nodded grimly. "What's this Time Distortion you were talking about?" she asked curiously. "It's a Time Lord ailment, quite common really a little bit like when humans get migraines. Anyway, Missy's always been prone to Time Distortion and more so since they used it as a torture technique" the Doctor pauses and smirks. "Sometimes she says such funny things when her Time is all over the place" he remarks fondly, running his hands over Missy's legs. "It's like those videos you see of humans when they get their wisdom teeth out" he chuckled before his face turned dark. "I shouldn't laugh. That's wrong of me" he sighs and Clara leaned forward. "No it's not" the brunette reassured, "if you don't laugh at some of this, you'd cry."

Missy was drifting in and out of sleep. The Time Lady could hear parts of conversation going on around her but couldn't pinpoint what was being said. All around the room, she was attuned to the ticking clocks and could hear them with overwhelming intensity. Pressing her head against the cushions she gestured out vaguely into the lounge. "Stop the ticking, please" she murmured. The Doctor looked at her and then around the room, his eyes landing on the mantle clock resting on the fire place. "Alright, darling, alright" he soothed. Pointing at the clock, he turned his attention to Clara. "Can you move that clock so we can't hear it please." Clara nodded, not even pretending to know why as she placed the clock in a cupboard and muffled its ticking noise.

Missy re-settled and focused on trying to stay grounded in reality. All she could feel was the waves of Time passing at different speeds and perceptions and coursing through her body. Sometimes, it passed in linear form and she felt it the same way she imagined humans did, unable to tell the significance of a single moment. Other times, it passed all at once and she felt every second that had ever passed or ever would. At the end of the sofa, she felt the presence of another time sensitive being. Deep down, she knew it was the Doctor, but she couldn't quite grasp that fact in that instant. All she knew was there was a beacon of steady, normal flowing Time within her reach. Unsteadily, she pushed herself up and crawled to the Doctor, reaching for him as she went. "Hey, it's okay, I'm right here" the Doctor said softly as he tried to determine what exactly had caused her to suddenly decide she needed him. It could have been anything, he realised and instead focused his energy reassuring her. Clara watched anxiously as the Time Lady wobbled precariously on the edge of the sofa, knocking a few of the cushions off along with Maisa's blanket. Missy had been laying still on the sofa, murmuring to herself one minute and desperately crawling to the Doctor the next. Whatever was going on inside her mind, she wasn't able to articulate it to them. "You...it's normal the Time. I don't feel well. Everything. I feel sick Thete" she murmured, bolting upright and staring straight ahead as she swallowed and tried to not be sick. "I know you do darling, lie down and have a rest" the Doctor tried, eventually managing to pull her down into him.

As she rested her head in his lap, he hummed gently to her and Clara returned to reading her book. A few seconds later, Clara turned as she heard Missy giggling to herself. "Silly fledershrews" she muttered, the Doctor forced himself not to laugh. At least he knew that this was not the Time Lord's manipulating her, this was definitely the Time Distortion and it seemed harmless enough. "Fledershrews, is it?" He laughed, it was always some kind of animal that she saw. Last time, it had been a seal in the bathroom. "What are they doing?" He asks, listening to her giggling more and reaching out, presumably for the fledershrews. "They're dancing" she whispered. The Doctor snorted and leant down to kiss her head consolingly; she did say some silly things when she had Time Distortion. "Dancing fledershrews. I bet that's a sight" he commented, watching Clara look over at him with a raised eyebrow. The human assumed this was what he meant when he said Missy said some funny things when she had Time Distortion.

Missy turned to face him, a wave of dizziness taking over as she moved suddenly. Her face clouded momentarily and the Doctor held her a little tighter as the feeling passed. "Its funny. They can be quite cheeky little things. I remember when I found a nest in my roof one summer" she slurred and the Doctor nodded, thinking over the time he had gone around to her house to find her laying traps for the bat like creatures. He briefly hoped she wouldn't recall the memory that always followed, not in front of Clara. As the Time Lady's face brightened, he knew exactly what was coming next and braced himself. "What about that time in the barn when we were teenagers and fooling around?" She giggled like a school girl. Clara's ears pricked and she looked over at the Doctor with a smirk. The Time Lord reddened, Missy continued obliviously. "We were both so young and neither of us had a clue what we were doing and you landed on the fledershrews' nest when you were taking your robes off" she broke off and laughed some more. Clara placed her book down and leaned forward, listening intently. The Doctor grew redder by the second and Clara laughed. "This is sounding a lot like the Time Lord equivalent of what goes on behind the bike sheds" Clara quipped, sniggering as she watched the Doctor scowl.

Missy turned to Clara, face full of confusion. "Clara, you're here?" She stuttered, gripping the Doctor's shirt and blinking as though trying to make out whether the human was really there. The Doctor stroked Missy's hair, hand pressing down firmly and grounding her in that moment. "She's been here the whole time, love" the Time Lord stated softly. Missy nodded, unable to do much else while Clara smiled reassuringly. "What was I saying?" The Time Lady turned onto her back and looked up at the Doctor. "That doesn't matter. You embarrassed me quite enough" he joked, watching her face fall in incomprehension. "I didn't mean to embarrass you" Missy's voice cracked as she stared up at the Doctor. " I was joking" he soothed, tracing his thumb down her cheek, "just a little joke." The Time Lady looked set to reply, lips parting momentarily until she got distracted and began giggling again. "They're dancing again" she laughed and it was so innocent, the Doctor couldn't help but smile. After a few moments, her smile fell and the Time Lady felt the room spinning. She took a few long blinks and tried to settle herself. It didn't work. Instead, she reached out blindly for the Doctor. "I'm here" he soothed, watching her squeeze her eyes shut. Missy settled a bit and curled into him, "I think I'm going to sleep" she said decisively. "Good idea, darling" he encouraged "you have a sleep."

The living room fell silent again as Missy slept deeply. Clara and the Doctor held their breaths and looked from one another. After a few minutes, the Time Lord declared "she's out for the evening now. Hopefully will sleep off the majority of the Time Distortion." Clara nodded. "Is there anything I can do?" The Doctor traced his fingers along Missy's forehead for a few seconds before lifting her gently and standing up. She didn't stir at all as he placed her head back down. "No, thank you. I'm going to get her duvet and pillows down here for the night. She'll sleep for a few hours and I'll get something ready for her to take, just to level it all out" he whispered, looking down as Missy shuffled around to face the sofa cushions and immediately returned to sleep. Clara nodded, he seemed to know what he was doing. "So this isn't the Time Lords?" She commented casually, he seemed much calmer dealing with this Time Distortion than he ever did with anything to do with the Time Lords. The Doctor shrugged, "not directly, no. I think they did use Time Manipulation as a torture technique but this is more because of tiredness and stress. She's always suffered badly from it." Clara listened, trying to take it in, but not really understanding what was being said. She nodded regardless of her incomprehension. "I'll sit with her while you go and get some things" she stated, watching the Doctor fidget and look back at the Time Lady before nodding and heading upstairs.

Clara stayed, watching Missy stir as soon as the Doctor left the room. It was as though she was aware of his presence even when she was asleep. "Where's he?" The Time Lady muttered, turning around to face Clara. The teacher knelt by her, surprised when she jumped back. "I'm not going to hurt you, Missy" she said, knowing she wouldn't be able to hurt the Time Lady even if she wanted to. "You're human. Your Time is so messy" she explained, cradling her head in her hands. It was then Clara realised she was hurting Missy unintentionally and she slowly backed away, returning to her armchair. Missy's tensed body relaxed as the human backed away, she didn't return to sleep though. Instead, staring at Clara with unblinking eyes. "Where's he gone?" She repeated, wanting to know where her anchor in Time had disappeared to. "He went to get you some pillows and a duvet so you can rest properly" Clara explained softly, watching Missy's features knit together as she tried to understand what the girl was saying. It was no use. Between the Time Distortion and foreign language Clara was talking, Missy couldn't quite grasp what was being said. "I don't understand" she stated in Gallifreyan and now it was Clara's turn to look confused. "I can't understand you when you speak Gallifreyan, Missy. I'm just a messy human" she laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

Frustration got the better of Missy, who forced herself up despite the dizziness and knocked over the coffee table in a fit of pure rage. The cups and plates were went flying and Maisa's blanket got covered in cold tea. Clara jumped back in fear, remembering all too quickly that this was the Mistress and she was capable of anything. The stained blanket caught the Time Lady's attention and Missy raised her hand to her mouth. "No, no I didn't mean to do that. I ruined it. No" she rambled in Gallifreyan. Clara's eyes also fell to the once- pastel coloured blanket and realised why Missy was rambling. Carefully, she approached the Time Lady and went to pick up the blanket. "It's okay, I'm sure we can clean it" she said, though not entirely sure if it was possible. Missy's eyes narrowed and she coiled her hand around Clara's wrist as soon as the human reached for it. "Don't you dare touch that" she spat venomously. The Time Lady that Clara had started to know over the last few months disappeared and was replaced with the one she had first encountered. This Time Lady was all violence and unpredictability. Clara gulped and tried to retract her arm. She couldn't. The Time Lady's icy fingers held her wrist in a vice like grip. "Ah, ah, ah" Missy smirked, "don't try and escape little birdie" she sang sinisterly, eyes boring into the human's own brown orbs. "Once again, you were going to touch something that wasn't yours" Clara tried to think over what she'd tried to touch before. Missy must have been talking about the confession dial. She tried not to think of the pain the Time Lady was inflicting on her, tried not to look at the purple bruising developing on her slender wrist. Clara knew whatever she said to the Time Lady would be wrong. Instead, she just had to keep her relatively on side until the Doctor returned; he wouldn't be long and she could hear him moving around upstairs.

Missy's lips formed into a sharklike grin as she heard the human's thoughts. Even with Time Distortion, it was so easy to read the thoughts of humans. "Doctor, Doctor come and save me from the mad Time Lady" she mocked, licking her lips and yanking Clara's arm from its socket. Adrenaline was pumping through the Time Lady and it was overshadowing everything else. The strangeness of Time, her confusion, her grief it was all gone. The human yelped in pain as she felt her shoulder dislocate. "Shh" Missy grinned, "don't be so weak." Clara couldn't help the tears that were forming in her eyes, the pain was almost unbearable. Missy's grin widened and she released a low chuckle "does that hurt, pet?" She cooed, watching as Clara looked anywhere but her. "Missy, I'm sorry for touching Maisa's blanket. You're tired and confused, please just let me go and we'll say nothing more about this" she panted, trying to control her pain. Missy laughed maniacally, "but it's so much fun breaking something as pretty as you. I'm thinking clearer than I have done in weeks. We both know this is the real me" she said, tightening her grip on Clara's wrist and whispering into her ear "I could kill you in an instant."

The door opened slowly and the Doctor shuffled in carrying the duvet and pillows. As he turned into the room he caught sight of the scene and gasped "Clara!" Missy was startled by the Doctor's emergence, his familiar aura of Time unsettling her momentarily and causing her to drop the human's wrist as the balance between adrenaline and distorted Time battled it out. Clara scrambled to the Doctor, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in her arm. By the time, Missy's adrenaline returned, Clara was safely behind the Doctor. The Time Lady laughed, "Thete! She was terrified, like properly terrified. It was hilarious" she stated, clearly proud. The Doctor looked at the Mistress, realising exactly what mood she was in and knowing he couldn't talk her down from it straight away. Something had obviously set her off and he scanned the room trying to discover what it was. In amongst the debris of the coffee table, he saw the tea stained blanket and sighed. Behind him, he heard Clara whimper as she tried to check over her own injuries. Slowly he turned around, he was the only being able to turn his back on the Mistress when she was in that mood. "Clara, come and sit down. Let me have a look at your arm" he guided her back to the armchair instructing her to hold her arm in place. He ignored Missy as she started to pace behind him, muttering something that didn't even make sense to him; he wondered whether Missy even knew what she was saying. He cringed as he heard her step on the shards of glass from the coffee table with bare feet, but knew there was nothing he could do for her in that instant and instead focused on Clara. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone when she was like that" he said, swallowing thickly as he looked over the bruising and awkward angle of her arm. Missy cackled behind him "do you like all the pretty, little bruises I left on her?" She sang, peering over his shoulder. The Time Lord ignored her and continued to focus on Clara's arm. Clara looked up at the Time Lady, taking steadying breaths in an attempt to control the pain. Missy's face was a picture of pure madness as their eyes locked together. They stared at each other for several seconds before Clara cracked first and looked away, eyes falling on the shards of glass that had cut into Missy's feet. In that instant, she took some skewed pleasure in the fact that Missy was also injured; she knew it wasn't fair, but the pain she was experiencing didn't care about fairness. "I could have hurt her so much more" the Time Lady trilled, still standing close behind the Doctor. As the Time Lord assessed Clara's arm he realised Missy was right. He didn't think that was through any kindness on Missy's part, the Time Lady just hadn't been up to her usual strength. "She's right" the Doctor said gruffly, looking up at Clara "it could be a lot worse. As it stands, it's just badly bruised." Clara looked at the Doctor, "it still bloody hurts though" she spat, pain coursing through her. The Doctor looked at her apologetically and went to say something when Missy snorted behind him. "Good. It was meant to hurt."

Without turning back to Missy, the Doctor said firmly "sit down, Koschei, I'll deal with you in a minute." He knew he couldn't be too angry with her but he also knew that compassion would get him nowhere while she was in this mood. She needed to calm down and over the centuries, he'd learnt that she could only do that herself. Turning back to Clara, he rolled up her sleeve and retrieved a cream that healed the bruising and acted as a strong pain relief. "It must hurt. I'm sorry, I just meant it wasn't broken or anything more serious." Clara nodded and let out a breath as the cream eased the pain and she watched the bruising disappear. "That's a shame" the Time Lady commented still hovering behind the Doctor and watching Clara's skin return to its unbruised paleness. "I liked it better when it was all marked and colourful." Clara glared at the Time Lady, but she was able to feel a bit more empathy for the mad Time Lady as the pain eased. "I told you to sit down" the Doctor repeated, this time turning to Missy. He looked at her erratic expression and sighed knowing she was far from calming down. "I can't" she stated, brimming with energy. "Your Time is normal. I need to be near your Time" she whispered in Gallifreyan and the Doctor nodded in understanding. Clara stood observing the pair and risked talking. "This is why she kicked off" she whispered, "she felt worse because you weren't there and then couldn't understand what I was saying to her." Missy narrowed her eyes and raised her hand to go for the human again. The Doctor caught the Time Lady's wrist just in time as Clara shirked away behind him. "I know you aren't well, but I will no tolerate violence" he warned, pushing her back firmly to the sofa and making her sit down. Missy cackled and mimicked him, "I will not tolerate violence." The Doctor scowled, watching her get more wound up and reached out to stroke her cheek; just like he had when she was arrested all that time ago. "Speak to me, Missy, tell me what's going on in your mind" he said, running his thumb firmly along her cheekbone. Missy wanted to tell him that she felt strange and then he'd gone and she couldn't understand anything that was happening and then she'd ruined Maisa's blanket. She couldn't explain any of that, though, and instead ended up laughing some more. "You sounded like a school teacher" she sniggered, "I won't tolerate violence" she repeated and the Doctor's face darkened. He looked at her pensively and hoped she'd wear herself out, she didn't seem aware of what she was saying at all. "Come on now, my love, you're being silly" he tries again "I need you to calm down."

Missy stares daggers at him, "you always need me to calm down" she hisses, forcing herself up and pushing him away. Suddenly, she doubles over as a searing pain washes over her abdomen. "Ah! What did you do?" The Time Lady questions, gripping her sides and looking up at him accusingly. "I didn't do anything!" He replied indignant at first, before concern flooded over him. "Love, I think its the baby" he stated calmly, trying not to let the worry show in his voice. Missy looked at him blankly "what baby? Susan's sleeping and Maisa's playing in the garden" she stated, not understanding which baby he was talking about. They were just enjoying a catch up at Theta's house while Cilinzia was away, weren't they? As Missy starts to think over where they are, another pain causes her to cry out.

The Doctor watches in concern as he realises the extent of the Time Lady's confusion "What? Missy, we're not on Gallifrey" he starts, leaning forward to support her as she doubles over once more. He glances over to Clara, whose face was painted with the same concern. "This is too early" he comments and Clara nods gravely. "I'm going to call Kate, I think we should get her in the car and head to the UNIT hospital" the human suggests watching the Time Lady remain doubled over and taking a few shuddering breaths. "I need to sort out her feet" the Doctor says, pointing to the Time Lady's bloodied feet as he held the Time Lady firm with his free hand. "I think we should get dinner for the kids" Missy commented out of the blue , eventually straightening up and looking at the Doctor as though nothing had happened. The Time Lord sighed and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear; he knew he had to play along with whatever she thought was going on to get her to the hospital. "I think you're right, love" he said as Clara passed him a pair of slippers. "Put her in those. Her feet aren't hurting her now and they can sort them out at the hospital" Clara said as she began to dial Kate.

Kate had eventually managed to get Daisy to sleep and was reading through some reports when her phone rang. "Clara" she said, slightly surprised to hear from the woman. "Everything alright?" There was a slight pause and the blonde could hear what sounded like the Doctor and Missy mumbling to each other. "Her coat's here Doctor" Kate heard Clara direct before realising Kate had answered. "Kate, sorry" the woman started, sounding harassed. "Missy's not well. She's experiencing contraction like cramps. We're going to have to bring her in to the hospital." Kate listened and glanced at the clock on the wall, it was only 7pm Dr. Chang should still be there. "It's too early for contractions" she commented, knowing that it was more likely to be nothing to worry about. "I know" Clara replied, "but she got herself all worked up and then was doubled over in pain. We thought it was best to bring her in just to be on the safe side." Kate hummed in agreement on the other end of the phone. "Yes, I agree" the UNIT boss added, already in the process of getting her jacket on and heading to the car. "I'll let Dr. Chang know and will see you soon."

Clara tapped her fingers on the steering wheel as she waited for the traffic lights to change. The human had opted to drive to allow the Doctor to sit in the back with Missy and keep her as calm as possible. So far, throughout the twenty minute journey, the cramps seemed to have eased off as did the confusion but it still seemed best to take her in to be checked over. "Fifty four" Missy murmured, head lulling to face the Doctor. Clara pressed down on the pedal as the lights turned green and listened to the Time Lords' conversation in the back. "What?" The Doctor said momentarily confused as he looked at the Time Lady. "Oh, right, the game we were playing" he said, remembering the game the two had been playing when they entered the car. "Yes, I was thinking of the number fifty four" he lied, not actually remembering what number he was thinking of. "For someone who lies so much, you're terrible at it" the Time Lady joked, face creasing with pain as another cramp washed over her. "I don't...I don't feel so good" she muttered, while the Doctor looked on anxiously. He was pleased the confusion seemed to be wearing off but was concerned about her discomfort. "We're nearly there, Missy" Clara shouted back, turning into the car park. "You're doing really well." The Time Lady turned to the Doctor, forgetting the pain she had just experienced entirely. "Thete" she said, and looking at her expression, it was clear the confusion was back. "Why does your driver keep calling me Missy? That's not my name. Where are we going anyway? I thought we were going to get food for the kids." Clara brought the car to a stop and got out, texting Kate as they went. "We are, love, come on now we need to go over here" he said, helping her out of the car.

"This isn't Gallifrey" she murmured, looking at him with a confused expression as they walked towards the UNIT hospital. Kate was waiting in the entrance as they approached. "Hello, I wasn't expecting to see you all so soon" she stated calmly, "shall we get you inside, Missy and have a look at what's going on?" The Time Lady turned to the Doctor, "no, no I remember now. Oh I remember it all" she stated, lip quivering as everything dawned on her. Kate and Clara looked on as the Doctor coaxed Missy towards the entrance. "I know. It's horrible, my darling, I know" he stated as they slowly made their way towards Kate and Clara. "Has she had any more pain since you left?" Kate asked Clara quietly as she pulled her coat tighter as a breeze passed. "She had a few cramps but nothing more serious" Clara replied, pulling her own sleeve down and wincing as she jolted her injured arm. Kate looked at her quizzically, "what's wrong with your arm?" Clara sighed and nodded her head in the direction of Missy. "I told you she got worked up earlier" she whispered, as the Doctor and Missy arrive next to them. Kate nodded knowingly but realised now wasn't the time to mention it.

"Wait" Missy hissed through gritted teeth, holding her sides. "It's another one. It's another pain." Kate looked over, concerned as she observed the Time Lady. "I'm going to get a wheelchair" Kate stated, before walking towards the nurses' station in pursuit of the aforementioned chair. It was worse than she'd thought initially and she wanted to get Missy up to a ward as quickly as possible. The Doctor stood next to Missy rubbing circles in her back. "Okay, Kos, okay. They're going to make you better. Let's take it nice and slowly and get you inside" he said softly in Gallifreyan. "I don't think I want to go in there" Missy replied back, already sensing the clinical atmosphere. Kate approached the pair with the empty wheelchair and smiled re-assuringly at Missy. "You know the drill now. It's nothing to be scared of and we're going to make you feel better" she guided, helping the Doctor ease her into the chair. Missy remained silent and still, gripping the chair as they pushed her along. In her mind, all she could focus on was trying to calm herself down as they approached the hospital ward. She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be anywhere but here.

The Doctor watched her reaction, stroking his hand over her head gently. "I know what you're scared of Missy, but it's not one of those hospitals" he soothed, sighing as the Time Lady gripped onto the chair tighter and didn't reply. Kate directed them into the side room. Missy looked around, it wasn't one of the rooms she'd been in before. This one was much more clinical. It had a small hospital bed surrounded by machines that were all bleeping so loudly and the smell of all the medicine was overpowering. The Time Lady felt her chest tighten as her hearts raced at double their usual speed. "Dr. Chang is on his was down" Kate said to the Doctor as she pulled out the ultrasound machine. "That's...that's to check it" Missy muttered, sweat dotted along her brow as she looked from the machine to Kate and then back at the Doctor for clarification. Kate nodded as she set the machine up; the UNIT boss wasn't sure how much the Time Lady was really taking in and decided to communicate mainly with the Doctor. "That's right just to check the baby is okay" the Time Lord stated, crouching by her side. He exhaled deeply as he saw her shaking and getting progressively worked up. "Darling, look at me, this isn't like the other hospitals" he said gently, helping her out of the chair. Missy let him lead her to the bed, legs shaking with each step. She laid down silently as Dr. Chang walked into the room, smiling slightly at everyone before coughing awkwardly and approaching Kate.

Clara looked around the room and noticed how crowded it had become. "I'm going to get some drinks, its a bit crowded in here. Does anyone have any requests?" She asked, heading for the door. Dr Chang was too busy setting up the machine to reply while the Doctor shook his head, not turning away from Missy. Kate turned to Clara, "I'll walk down with you in a minute" she said to the woman, wanting to go over things with her away from the Doctor and Missy. Clara was about to leave the room when she saw Missy nodding. "You'd like a drink, Missy?" She asked, double-checking she'd seen correctly. The Time Lady nodded again. "Yes" she croaked, before looking at the Doctor. "I am allowed one, aren't I?" She checked. The Time Lord smiled and nodded. This seemed to be distracting her a little bit. "Of course you are, love. What would you like?" Missy turned back to Clara, "that human drink that Daisy had the other week. I can't remember what it's called" she chastised herself, smacking her palm against her forehead. "No, Missy, come one, don't be so hard on yourself" the Doctor said gently, pulling her wrist down gently. "Do you mean a hot chocolate?" He asked. Missy's eyes widened in recognition and she nodded. "Yes, that's it" the Time Lady stated. Clara smiled, "Okay, a hot chocolate for Missy" she said turning to leave the room. "I'll meet you outside, Kate" she said over her shoulder.

Dr Chang had the machine set up by this stage and turned to the two Time Lords. "Kate said you've been experiencing stomach pains. Is that right, Missy?" The young doctor asked. "Is that why I'm here?" The Time Lady asked, turning to the Doctor who nodded, brushing away a stray curl. Missy was still sweating and her hair stuck to her forehead. Under the bright hospital lights, she looked paler than ever. The Time Lord turned back to Dr Chang. "She's also been quite confused. She was suffering from a severe case of Time Distortion earlier, you've probably come across it in your research. Anyway, it left her quite muddled." Dr Chang nodded in recognition. "We have some time stabilisers, that might help her" he offered. "Yes. That'd be useful, thank you" the Doctor responded, squeezing Missy's hand as she flopped back down on the bed. The Time Lady was tired and unable to follow the conversation. "The pains seemed to have worn off now" Dr Chang commented, "but we'll have a look to be on the safe side." The Time Lady remained silent and the Doctor looked at her, checking that she understood what was happening. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly and the Time Lady nodded, head lulling to one side. "Well done, love" he praised, as Dr Chang approached her. "Okay, Missy, first of all I just want to have a feel and see how baby's positioned" he commented, waiting for the Time Lady to nod before placing his hands over her bump. Missy flinched, she always did during examinations, and he waited for her to settle. Dr Chang was nervous himself, this wasn't his area of expertise and he knew the Time Lady was live wire; set to explode at any moment. As Missy settled, relaxing as the Doctor whispered things to her that Dr Chang didn't understand in a language he didn't speak, he began to feel around. Everything seemed normal enough, the baby was at an awkward angle, which would make it uncomfortable, but other than that, all seemed as it should. "When was the last time you experienced the pain Missy?" Dr Chang asked and Missy stared at him blankly. The Doctor replied instead, "it was just before we came into the hospital, about half an hour ago. That was the last time, I think." Dr Chang nodded, "and have you felt the baby moving today?" He asked, looking at Missy who nodded. "A lot, she's been moving a lot" the Time Lady nodded, "you felt her too, didn't you?" She asked the Doctor. "Yes, I did." The Time Lord confirmed, stroking Missy's forehead.

The Time Lady started to panic, growing agitated. "Is something wrong with her? I don't want another baby to die" she said desperately as the Doctor shook his head. "No, my love, we're just here to be safe" he reassured, even if he didn't know it was the case. "I'm going to get this machine set up so you can hear the baby, Missy" Dr Chang said as he placed some gel on the end and carefully traced it along Missy's bump. Immediately, the screen picked up a double heartbeat and and projected an image of the infant. The Doctor sighed in relief. "See love, she's fine" he smiled, watching Missy turn her head to the screen and smile silently. "I think" Dr Chang said, attracting the attention of only the Doctor as Missy remained enthralled by the screen, "the pains were probably brought on by stress. Kate informed me that it had been a very stressful day and that combined with the Time Distortion probably triggered this." The young doctor turned to Missy to see if it was worth explaining to her or not. The Time Lady's eyes had drifted shut while they had been talking. The Doctor looked at Missy and then back at Dr Chang. "I'll explain it when she's a bit more with it" the Time Lord said quietly, pulling a chair up to the bed and settling down. Dr Chang nodded, turning off the monitor and collecting up his notes. "I'd like to keep her in over night, just for observation. These pads" he pointed to the small pads attached to wires that he was placing to Missy's stomach, "should help to monitor the baby. I'll administer the Time Stabilisers via an IV line to help rebalance her distribution of Time." The Doctor nodded, watching the man go about his work. The Time Lord was pleased Missy was asleep while the line was attached. It made it easier for everyone involved. Once it was all finished, the human turned to the Doctor. "I'll stop by for hourly obs, but you know where to find me in the meantime" he said as he headed for the door. "Thanks", the Doctor grunted without turning away from Missy.

The canteen was still bustling with employees working late and finally catching a chance for dinner. Clara and Kate found a relatively quiet table away from the crowds and waited for their drinks to be delivered. It wasn't hard, none of the staff really wanted to spend their breaks in earshot of the boss. "It's still busy" Clara commented, rubbing her arm subconsciously. It still hurt in spite of the Doctor's remedy. Kate nodded. "Despite what Time Lords might think, they aren't the centre of the universe" she joked, "we've had quite a bit of work. The American division has been going crazy since the election, trying to prove their President-Elect is alien. Sadly, they've yet to have much luck." Clara smirked, "I'm sure that would be too convenient." A rattling echoed in the room as the dinner lady pulled down the shutter. "Well, it should start to empty out now" Kate commented, smiling at the young boy who brought over the drinks, walking carefully as not to spill any of the hot liquids out of their paper cups. "Thank you" the women said in unison, before starting to walk back to the ward.

Walking down the brightly lit corridors, the pair remained silent both lost in their own little worlds. Eventually, Clara broke the silence. "Do you think the baby will be okay?" She asked. Missy had looked to be in a lot of pain and she knew it was too early for the baby to be born. "I think Missy is in the best place at the moment and if there's an issue, we have the best care on hand to deal with it." Kate responded diplomatically. The answer was good enough for Clara who nodded as they reached the room. Kate tapped lightly on the door and they heard a shuffling before the Doctor opened the door and let them in.

Kate placed the drinks on the side while Clara smiled at the Doctor. "Is she okay?" The woman asked, scanning her eyes over Missy's sleeping form that was attached to wires. She watched, almost hypnotised, as a drip of glimmering liquid made its way into the Time Lady's veins through a tube attached to her hand. "Yes" the Doctor replied. His voice sounded gruff, as though he had just been woken. "It looks worse than it is. The pads are just to observe the baby and that tube is to help rebalance the distribution of Time. Its kind of like when humans get dehydrated" he concluded, having no other example off the top of his head. Clara tilted her head as she continued to watch the liquid work its way into the Time Lady. "It's kind of pretty" she observed, taking a sip of her drink.

Kate picked up the notes at the end of the bed and read them, humming every so often. "So she's staying over night and Dr Chang doesn't think there's any immediate cause for concern?" She asked, handing the Doctor the deluxe hot chocolate they had bought knowing he would probably want one anyway. "That's right. In a way, the cramps may have been a blessing. The Time Distortion was much more severe than I initially thought and I wouldn't have had the right medication to deal with it at the house" he admitted, drinking eagerly at the cream-covered beverage.

The UNIT boss went to reply when Missy stirred in the bed, the blonde quickly put the notes back and moved away, not wanting to crowd the Time Lady. The Doctor stood smiling kindly at the head of her bed; his eyes were lined with dark circles and gave away his own weariness. "Hello sweetheart, I'm right here" he said softly as the Time Lady stared at him with bleary eyes. Missy tried to grasp her surroundings, opening her mouth a few times without making noises. Her left arm felt numb and she looked down to see the golden liquid being pumped into it. She then turned her head to see the half a dozen pads that were sat on her stomach. Panic rushed through her as she realised that she was in a hospital, she would have panicked more if she hadn't seen the Doctor hovering at her side. The Doctor picked up on her nerves and touched his fingertips to her temples, sending positive, calming thought to her. She relaxed, body flopping as the tension left it.

"Another hospital" she managed to croak and the Doctor nodded sadly. He wasn't sure how much she remembered about the events leading them here so chose to let her lead. He knew once her Time levels were rebalanced, she would have a better grasp on reality. "A good one though. They're making you better" he offered, watching her nod and close her eyes. "How long?" She asked, wanting to know how long she'd have to endure another stay in another hospital. "Just one night, love" the Doctor replied as Missy's head lulled to one side and she opened her eyes and peered at him disbelievingly. "Really, just tonight?" The Time Lord nodded and Missy's smile broadened. She blinked several more times, still waking up.

Eventually, her face contorted into a look of amusement. "You have cream on your lip" she laughed, running her finger along her upper lip to illustrate the point. Clara and Kate snickered as the Time Lord wiped at his upper lip with his sleeve. "I had a hot chocolate" he said, by way of an explanation as he managed to clear away the evidence. Missy's face turned serious and she propped herself up on her elbows as her eyes scanned the room. "Not my one I hope. I asked for a hot chocolate" she said. Kate stepped forward with another cup. "No, here's yours Missy" she said handing the Time Lady the cup. Missy accepted it and sipped carefully. "I think you're both big kids really" Clara laughed just as Dr Chang came in for his hourly observation. The evening turned to the early hours quickly and rather uneventfully. Kate and Clara left the two Time Lords in peace, seeking refuge instead in the on call rooms. Back on the ward, Missy mainly slept while the Doctor watched over her. At about 2am, he reluctantly accepted an offer of having a camp bed brought into the room for him and fell into a fitful sleep himself, surprised to find himself dreaming about Gallifrey.

Theta and Koschei were sat in the former's garden, sipping cool lemonade to stave off the Gallifreyan sun. Inside, Cilinzia was pottering around the house unaware that Theta's eyes were following her every movement. "You really love her" Koschei teased, drawing him back to where he was sat by the stream with Koschei. The Time Lady always insisted on sitting outside when they could. "I don't like feeling trapped" she would declare and Theta could never quite understand what she meant but had to admit it was nice to be out in the open. His eyes scanned Koschei's face, taking in her jovial expression. Her hair had frizzed in the humidity and she'd attempted to tie it back with little success. She looked beautiful to him, but he knew she'd scoff if he said such a thing. Koschei was more self-conscious than she'd ever admit. "I do really love her" he replied, not blinking as stated it. "She's one of the most amazing Time Ladies I've met and I'm so honoured to be marrying her."

Koschei pulled a face, "I think you're going to make me sick" she teased. Theta raised his eyebrows, "you did quite enough of that at the Academy Reunion last week" he retorted. "Next to the buffet, if I recall correctly." Koschei tutted at him. "You recall nothing, dear. You were just as pissed as I was and it was only your amazing fiancée who reminded you of my faux-pas" Koschei replied instantly, trying to stop the venom from seeping into her voice as she referred to Cilinzia. Jealousy had always been one of her worst flaws. Cilinzia had been nothing but kind to her and she accepted her and Theta's complex relationship. "Which is exactly why I need her in my life. Could you imagine if we were left to our own devices?" He laughed, watching Koschei turn away with a laugh. "Goodness no, imagine the horrors of being married to me" she muttered, tracing her fingertips over the edge of the water.

Theta sighed. "Be fair, Kos!" He exclaimed staring at the Time Lady's exposed shoulder and the lilac cotton sleeve that hung halfway down her arm. It was an outdated style, he noted. She'd never been one for staying up to date with fashion. "I asked you to marry me years ago, back when we first left the Academy. You said no. I asked you again when you first regenerated into this body. You said no again" he stated, the hurt still evident in his voice. "You can't turn me down but still expect me to be exclusively yours" he sighed, watching her pick at shards of glass. "I would have been no good for you. You want a nice, domestic life" she sighed, "I'm not a good-"

"you're not good, you're going to do bad things and you're going to disappoint me" Theta interrupted. "I was there for all your rejections, Koschei, I remember. What I don't understand is where this hang up about being evil has come from?" Koschei shrugged and watched the clear water flow downwards. "They told me when I was a boy at the Academy" she stated, "back when we had our initiations." Theta's brows knitted together. She always insisted this had happened but he couldn't recall it happening as part of his initiation. He didn't speak to anyone at the ceremony. "I think you might have dreamt that-" "no" Koschei cut him off, "it happened."

The pair listened to the birds chirping as they made their way back to their nests for the evening. "I'm really happy for you, Thete. I just don't want to lose you" Koschei confessed, half turning to face him. "I love you, Koschei. In a special way and that's never going to change" he promised, running his hand up her shoulder and gently kissing up her neck. Koschei turned to face him, stretching her neck to give him better access as she tangled her fingers in his unkept hair. "I love you too" she whispered, planting her own delicate kisses along his skin. "But, just so you know, I'm never going to be just your mistress." Theta chuckled and the vibrations sent shots of pleasure through Koschei's body. "You know damn well you're never going to be just anything to me."

The Doctor woke suddenly, slightly disorientated as he found himself in the cramped camp bed. He yawned and stretched, peering around the dank room. The light bleeping noise and sterile taste to the air reminded him he was in the hospital and before he had time to wonder how Missy was, her voice reached his ears. "Ah, look specs, Mr. Sleepy has joined us" she sang, watching the Doctor with kind eyes. The Time Lady was propped up in bed, no longer wired up to any machines or drips and looking considerably better than she had done the previous night. A rosy hue had returned to her cheeks and she appeared to be halfway through a pain au chocolat. Dr Chang was finishing up his notes as he turned to the Time Lord, smiling awkwardly. "Morning" he said quietly, "we thought it was best to let you sleep."

The Time Lord stood from the bed and clicked his neck. It ached from where he had slept awkwardly. "How long have you been awake, sweetheart?" He asked Missy approaching her and kissing her forehead. The Time Lady shrugged. "About an hour" she said, biting into the pastry. "You should have woken me." Missy scrunched her nose up. "There was no need, you needed the rest." The Doctor conceded that he did feel better for the rest. He watched Missy finish off her pastry and wash it down with orange juice. "You look better this morning," he smiled, "and you ate all that breakfast. Well done." Missy smiled, she was proud of herself. "The Time Distortion really had me out of sorts" she laughed and the Doctor was pleased to see she knew what had happened.

Dr Chang coughed and interrupted the pair. "Everything seems to be in good order" he said with a smile. "I'll leave you to get everything together and then you can get going." Missy nodded while the Doctor thanked the human. When the pair were alone again, Missy smirked at the Doctor. "Why are you smirking like that?" He asked, cautiously, "it's never good when you smirk like that." Missy chuckled, "what were you dreaming about?" She asked smugly. The Doctor reddened. "Just some time back on Gallifrey" he mumbled. Missy's smirk grew. "It sounded like a wonderful memory" she chirped, steadily getting off the bed. The Doctor helped her silently, trying to hide his growing embarrassment. "Come on tell me. You were saying my name over and over and making some very interesting noises" she teased, resting her head on his shoulder. The Doctor looked down at her noting that she was definitely feeling better. "You're intelligent and imaginative. I'm sure your mind can conjure up some suitable explanation." She chuckled. "It can and already has but throw me a bone here Doc, which time was it? We did have quite a few...moments." He sighed, knowing she wouldn't let it go. "The week I announced my engagement. When you came to stay for the weekend. We tried that new...thing" he trailed off. Missy laughed. "We did, didn't we? Right out there in the open" she laughs at the memory. "It was pretty good, if my memory serves me right."

The Doctor coughed and nodded in agreement. "You were pretty jealous of Cilinzia that weekend, I seem to remember." Missy snorted. "I was scared of losing you" she stated, "that's always been my biggest fear." The Doctor pecked her on the cheek, "I know. That's what you said back then." He hummed in contemplation, mind buzzing with regrets. "We never could have made a marriage work" Missy said bluntly. "I know" he admitted, "but what we have made work is pretty good." The Time Lady beamed, "between the wars and idealogical differences it's perfect."


	34. Chapter Thirty-four

Clara looked from one Time Lord to the next holding out the tin of Quality Street. "Chocolate?" She asked warily, trying to appease the pair. Her offer was ignored and they went back to shouting. "Do you think I was born yesterday?" The Doctor shouted, watching Missy scowl and lunge forward pointing at him accusingly. "I know you weren't. The lines on your face are enough of a give away" she spat back. It had been nearly a month since Missy had been hospitalised and despite edging closer and closer to her due date, she had felt better than ever. The Time stabilisers had worked well. Not only that, the scare with the baby had been enough to put the Time Lords off using any devices for manipulation. Me had been back to Gallifrey and found that they were only planning on using the tracking device as the birth approached. With Missy feeling better, however, came the inevitable trouble. This was the fifth argument that the Doctor and Missy had had this week. Clara couldn't quite remember what had happened this time as she curled up into the armchair and retrieved a chocolate, waiting to see who would win the battle of wills. The Doctor had remained stubborn so far, but Missy was usually able to have the last say when she pulled the pregnancy card. Even though the Doctor knew she was manipulating him, he couldn't stay angry at her when she said her back ached or her ankles were swollen.

"Don't test me, Missy, I'm not in the mood. The bullets are yours, aren't they?" He stated, eyebrows raised so high they were merging with his hairline. The Time Lady nodded, glaring at him. "Well they aren't hers" she said, nodding towards Clara who stared into the box of chocolates. The Doctor sighed "and you took them from UNIT?" The Time Lord asked watching Missy nod. "I'm not apologising" the Time Lady said, resting one hand one her hip and the other on her bump. The Doctor looked at her frame and shook his head. At times over the weeks since her hospitalisation, he'd thought of her like his old friend. It was when she stood a certain way or he caught sight of her bump that he remembered things were far from the way they should be.

"You can't keep doing this" he sighed, sitting on the edge of the sofa and massaging his forehead. "What are you going to do? Throw me out on the street when I'm about to drop a wee bairn" she laughed, knowing she was winding him up and knowing there was nothing he could really do about her behaviour. "Missy, I know you've felt better these last few weeks than you have for a long time, but we both know it won't be long until the birth. You can't keep acting like this" the Doctor said tiredly, watching Missy's smile fall from her face. He hadn't wanted to burst her bubble but he needed her to realise all of this was still happening even if she tried to convince herself otherwise. The baby was due to arrive in a matter of weeks and she needed to start accepting that. Not only that, Kate was getting tetchy about Missy's worsening behaviour. The Time Lady hadn't done anything too serious yet but that could change.

Missy moved her hand over her bump. "That just means I'm nearly free. It's not like I'm keeping it anyway" she spat back defensively. The Doctor watched and waited to see if her outburst was over eventually daring to talk. "You know you need to care for her in her first month" the Time Lord said tiredly. Clara looked up, "maybe we should calm down" she suggested, catching sight of Missy's face that was growing angrier by the second. The human's suggestion was ignored as the Doctor continued. "And you know that Rassilon is going to re-activate the tracking device in a matter of days. We both know that's going to happen." Missy flinched and stood there for a few seconds before storming past him, "I thought you'd be happy that I was getting back to normal" she muttered. The Doctor followed Missy into the hallway and Clara flopped back into her chair as she heard the dramatics continue in the hallway. "I am happy you're feeling better" he tried, watching Missy pull on her coat. "I'm not going to let you get away with the kind of behaviour I would normally condemn though" he said as he leant against the bannister. Missy glared at him heading to the front door. "I'll be back later" she mumbled. The Doctor went to stop her, shouting "where are you going?" But was stopped in his tracks as the door slammed shut, sighing he returned to the lounge, selecting a chocolate from Clara and sinking into the sofa.

"You want to go after her?" Clara asked after a few minutes silence. This wasn't the first time that this had happened over the last few weeks and the Doctor's response was different each time. The Time Lord shook is head as he chewed a toffee penny sweet. "She'll be back soon enough" he said once he'd finished chewing. "The streets are full of carolers and Christmas shoppers she won't be able to stand that for too long." Clara nodded placing the lid on the tin and contemplating the obvious. "What if her annoyance leads to killing?" The human asked in a matter of fact tone. "It won't, I'm ninety per cent sure I have all her weapons. Anyway, the other week when she started to really act out, I locked her in a cell and warned her that was what would happen if she hurt anyone." Clara looked at the Time Lord in shock. That would have explained the Time Lady's relapse and clingy phase about a fortnight ago. "I know, I know. She was terrified and I wasn't proud but I couldn't think of another way to get through to her. She knows that that's what will happen if she even lays a finger on anyone." Clara nodded, hoping the Doctor was right to believe Missy wouldn't do anything. "If it gets past ten, we'll go and look for her" the Doctor concluded, glancing at the clock that read half seven. "Okay" Clara said "standing up. You can help me wrap some presents then"

It was cold and there were bright lights everywhere as Missy walked along the high street. She didn't know where she was going but knew she needed to get out of the house. It was suffocating. These last few weeks, she had felt better than she had in months and she thought the Doctor would be happy about that. Instead, all he'd done is have a go at everything she'd done. It was like he preferred it when she was clingy and dependent on him. Then, tonight, he'd had the audacity to remind her she still had to have the baby. Remind her that Rassilon was going to start playing with her mind again. As if she'd simply forgotten about those details. How could she? Her back ached from carrying the baby and she started each day with a migraine as Rassilon's tracker threatened to turn live any minute. It was absurd to think she could forget about such issues, she just wanted to make the most of the time she did feel like herself. The Time Lady pulled her jacket tighter as she contemplated where to go. It was cold and her feet ached from her walk. Thankfully, all the shops appeared to be open late; some human holiday was on the horizon the Time Lady remembered as she turned into John Lewis entrance.

"Ho Ho Ho" a man dressed in a silly red costume stood in front of Missy's entrance to the department store and waved a bucket of loose change. The Time Lady scowled. Christmas. It was Christmas time that the humans were all buzzing around frantically in preparation for. The Doctor loved Christmas, Missy seemed to recall. At least he used to. "Can you spare change for Great Ormond Street Hospital?" The fat man in red asked jovially, "it could save a sick child's life" he added when Missy's scowl deepened. The Time Lady's blue eyes left the man's cheap fake beard and trailed down to a sickly looking boy with tubes attached to his face. The boy smiled and held onto a neatly wrapped gift. Missy closed her eyes and tried not to think of Maisa's last days. Tried not to think of the military blockade that prevented treatment from reaching her in time. The charity Santa looked at Missy strangely, before taking in her prominent bump. Under all her winter layers it was hard to notice she was heavily pregnant. The pictures of sick children always hit the expectant and new mothers hard the man contemplated. "If you don't have the money, ma'am, don't worry. I can see you've got a lot on your plate at the moment." The Time Lady shook her head and opened her eyes, letting the images of Maisa slip from her mind.

"I have money" she said pulling out the purse the Doctor had given her for emergencies. The value of money still wasn't a concept she'd got her head around on Earth and she flicked through the notes trying to remember which one was which. "It'll help a sick child like him?" Missy said pointing at the picture. The Santa nodded, "yes ma'am. It goes on equipment, toys and staff at the hospital." Missy nodded, pulling a wad of ten pound notes from her purse. "This is the right currency, isn't it?" She checked, waving the notes in front of the man who nodded and watched Missy place them in the bucket. "That's a very generous donation" he said gratefully. There was at least fifty pounds in the wad of notes. The Time Lady nodded "well, it's a good cause" she said, the words leaving a sour taste in her mouth. "I had a daughter who got very sick. She died because treatment couldn't get to her. I wouldn't want that that happen to another child" Missy confessed, coughing and trying to stop the words slipping out. She never told strangers about Maisa and now some sob story charity worker had managed to get her to spill her closest kept secret. The man in red looked at her, mouth agape as he tried to think of how to respond to the woman. "Oh ma'am, I'm sorry. I-" Missy's face hardened. "Never mind, lots of people die all the time" she pulled the jacket tighter, a chill running through her as icy ran started to fall. "Excuse me" she muttered to the man by way of a farewell as she made her way into the well lit shop.

Inside was just as busy as outside, if not busier as people rushed around frantically trying to buy their last minute gifts. The Time Lady was unaware of what day of the week it was, let alone what date it was, but judging by the people, the decorations and the Christmas tunes the big day wasn't far away. As she walked through the cosmetics department, Missy started to wonder if it was a mistake to leave the house. All she could think of was her throbbing feet and overwhelming desire to kill the humans surrounding her. She knew she couldn't though, the Doctor had been deadly serious in his threat to lock her up and she couldn't face that. Not right now. Thinking back to the stifling atmosphere in the house, she knew she couldn't return just yet and decided to risk a tea break in the cafe. On her way, Missy was side tracked by the babies section and as much as she tried to ignore the myriad of pastel colours, she couldn't. The Time Lady browsed through the toys and blankets, eyes settling on a tiny plush rabbit that was sat on the shelves. It was the last one of its kind and Missy found herself reaching for it in spite of herself. The small cuddly toy was made to look old-worldly in its appearance, even though it was clearly made in the last year or so. Would you like something like this? Missy found herself projecting, along with an image of the soft toy, to the infant. The baby, though not really aware of concepts of likes and dislikes, responded positively; her little imprint lighting up brightly and curiously at the image of the toy rabbit. Missy sighed, resting one hand on her bump and stroking the rabbit's ears with the others. I thought you'd like it. A big softie like your uncle Thete. I'll have to knock that out of you she projected back swallowing harshly at her mistake.

Not me. I won't be raising you she thought to herself, shielding the thought from the baby and decisively walking to the till. My present to you poppet she projected back, unsurprised when the infant was asleep and didn't respond. The baby had been resting a lot more in the latter stages of the pregnancy. Missy guessed she wasn't the only one that needed to prepare for the birth. "Would you like a bag with that madam?" The cashier inquired, drawing Missy from her thoughts. Feeling inside her pockets, Missy remembered that she was wearing one of the Doctor's old coats from Gallifrey. The bigger on the inside pockets would help her avoid the 5p plastic bag charge she thought as she shook her head. "That'll be £12.99 then please." Missy was about to retrieve her purse when she felt the presence of someone behind her. "Please let me" a jolly voice broke in, handing some cash to the cashier. "It's the least I can do after your generous donation."

At first the Time Lady was angered by the interruption. Why did humans insist on being so interfering? As she turned around, placing her purchase in her pocket, she struggled to place the stranger realising eventually it was the Santa do-gooder from earlier. "Santa's off duty" Missy commented dryly as she walked in search of a hot beverage. The old man laughed. "I am for tonight" he commented, "are you doing the last bits of shopping?" He asked, following behind the Time Lady as she managed to maintain a steady pace despite her waddling. The man wanted to make sure she was okay, he felt awful about reminding the woman about her dead child and had to check she was alright before he left. Missy shook her head. "Don't do Christmas" she answered curtly, reaching the cafe and sitting with a deep sigh. The man sat down opposite her, cursing himself inwardly. Parents of dead children don't do Christmas. "Mind if I join you?" He asked, sitting opposite the Time Lady. Missy quirked her brow "looks like you already have" she commented, eyes not leaving the menu she was scanning. In any other situation, the man would be dead by now. The thought of the dark cells, though, sent a shiver down Missy's spine.

"I've not got anymore money for you" the Time Lady said shrugging her jacket off and reclining into her seat. The old man took in her rounded middle and realised just how pregnant the woman actually was. "I don't want anymore money. Your donation was generous enough" the man said watching the woman carefully. Something about her attitude was strangely familiar. "What do you want then?" The Time Lady asked icily, realisation dawning on her regarding the identity of the stranger. She smirked. This was a delightful coincidence. The man looked at her smirk curiously and shrugged. "To check you were okay. I never meant to upset you...about your daughter" he said awkwardly. Missy's smirk fell and she ran her thumb over her middle in repetitive movements as she stared at the dark wood table. "You didn't. It's ancient history" she muttered by way of ending the topic of Maisa before looking up at the man.

The man nodded, taking the hint. "At least let me buy you a cup of tea and a cake" he said kindly, rising on shaky legs. Missy nodded and watched the man's back as he shuffled towards the counter. The Doctor had said she couldn't kill anyone but he didn't say anything about chatting with his old friends. The old man returned back to the table and placed the tray down, passing Missy a slice of fruit cake topped with thick white icing and a cup of tea. "Thanks" the Time Lady trilled. "My pleasure." The man sensed a change in the woman's mood. She seemed more upbeat than earlier. Well, cake did that to him, he concluded. Missy sipped her tea and observed him, tilting her head to one side. "What's with the antlers?" She asked, tapping the top of her head. "It's Christmas. My daughter thinks I should take them off but I shalln't. We've got to have a bit of fun this time of year, after all. "Quite" Missy replied, scraping off some of the icing with her finger and licking it. She then held her other hand out, beaming "I'm Missy, by the way." The man shook her hand, startled for a second by the coldness of it. "Wilfred. Most people call me Wilf." Missy smirked. "So you have a daughter. Any grandchildren?"She asked watching Wilf's face light up. "One granddaughter, Donna. She's all grown up now but has two little ones. They're so excited for Christmas" he gushed, digging into his cake. The pair sat talking until closing time when the barista came to say it was time to leave.

"Crikey" Wilf exclaimed, "I don't know how it got so late." Missy nodded, pulling her coat back on and wrapping a scarf around her neck. "Time just flies past"she said as they walked to the exit. "I suppose your husband will be waiting for you. Is he picking you up?" The Time Lady cringed at how dated he sounded. "Well, actually, I had a wee argument with him this evening. Stormed out and now have to walk back home" she said, deliberately and anticipating his response. "Tensions are high just before a baby arrives. Arguments are inevitable" Wilfred reasoned, adding predictably "I can't let you walk home alone though, not in this weather. I'll give you a lift, my car's just down here" he points down the road. "If you're sure" Missy replied innocently, enjoying how perfectly the scenario was playing out. "I insist" Wilf said, every inch the kind hero, "let's get into the warm."

The Doctor paced the living room, doing another circle and stopping at the window to look out onto the street again. "You're worried" Clara sighed, "we can go out and look for her." The Time Lord turned to face the human and shook his head. "She's doing it deliberately. I know she is" he said assuredly, though his strained features gave away his real concern. What if something had happened? The baby was due any week now and Rassilon was bound to start the tracking device soon. Clara released a low breath and sat back down into the chair. This had been going on for the past two hours. She was about to suggest the Doctor came and sat down when the noise of footsteps could be heard making their way up the gravel drive. The Doctor shot out into the hallway, opening the door before Missy had a chance to put her key in the lock.

"About bloody time. Honestly, Missy, you can't keep doing this. I was worried sick" The Doctor rushed, not pausing for breath. As the Time Lord looked up, his eyes fell over Missy's shoulder and he stared at Wilfred in shock for a several seconds before scowling down at Missy. The Time Lady grinned like the cat that had got the cream. What have you done? The Doctor projected angrily, worrying that Missy had hurt Wilf or Donna. Nothing, dear. I just bumped into him. Isn't the universe hilarious? The Time Lady responded smile falling as the ache in her back increased. The Doctor's face softened. He knew when she was acting and when the discomfort was genuine. You need to come and sit down the Doctor projected, releasing a disgruntled sigh when Missy closed their link. The Time Lady was enjoying winding him up and enjoying being more like herself; she was damned if the Doctor or the baby was going to ruin that.

Clara walked out into the hallway, surprised when she saw the old man standing behind Missy. "Oh. Hi there" she said, noting the Time Lords' silence and not bothering to expect them to complete any kind of social norms. "Is everything okay?" Wilfred, who had been awkwardly examining his shoes looked up at Clara relieved. "Yes, everything's fine. I just got chatting to Missy at the shops and offered to give her a lift home. I'm Wilf, by the way." Clara smiled, nearly certain there was more to that story and went to reply when the Doctor spoke up. "That's very kind of you Wilf. You're a kind man" the Doctor said, examining the lines on his friend's face. He looked older and frailer than the last time they'd met. "Well, it was the least I could do after Missy gave such a generous donation to the Children's Hospital."

Missy pushed past the Doctor and walked inside, sitting on the stairs and growing bored with the game. Clara and the Doctor stared at the Time Lady disbelievingly. "She made a donation to the charity?" Clara asked Wilf, shock etched on her features. Wilf nodded. "Actually, I felt quite bad. I had no idea that her daughter had died because treatment wasn't available" the man said quietly. Missy's eyes shot up and she stared at him before standing up and walking upstairs.

Wilf watched Missy walk up the stairs and looked back at the Doctor guiltily. "She told you about her daughter? What did she say?" The Doctor pressed, in shock. Missy never spoke to anyone but him about Maisa's death. "Not a lot. Just that she didn't want another child to die like her daughter had. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to cause harm." The Doctor shook his head, "you didn't. Thank you for giving her a lift. Would you like a cup of tea?" Wilf shook his head and looked at his watch. "I've got to get home, my granddaughter and her kids are coming over" he replied, realising how angry Sylvia would be with his lateness. The Doctor smiled broadly. "Yes. Of course. Christmas is a time for family" He said shaking Wilf's hand firmly and bidding him farewell.

"What was that about?" Clara asked as she stared at the Doctor thoroughly confused by everything that had just happened. The Doctor turned around having made it halfway up the stairs. "Wilf was an old friend and Missy knew that. I'm going to check on Lady Muck. I'll see you in the morning," "Sure" Clara said, still none the wiser as to what had happened as she walked back into the lounge. The Doctor pushed the bedroom door open, looking at Missy's coat and scarf scattered in a messy pile on the floor. "You know" he said, leaning down and picking up her coat "there is a hook you can hang this on" he grumbled, hanging the coat on the back of the door. Missy watched him out of the corner of her eyes from where she sat on the bed, fiddling with the toy rabbit.

The Doctor sighed and sat on the bed, it dipped and he took Missy's feet starting to rub deep circles. Her ankles were more swollen than they'd been all week. He didn't dare to mention it. It was only a reminder of how soon the inevitable was approaching. "Why did you bring Wilf back here?" He asked, watching her shrug. "Seemed like fun. Got boring quickly" she said quietly. Her head was starting to hurt and she knew it was the start of Rassilon's tracking device. "I didn't know it was him at first. He was dressed as the fat man in red" she added, reclining back against the head rest and closing her eyes. "Santa. It's Santa you mean" the Doctor corrected. "I know what I mean" Missy sighed. The Doctor turned back and bit his lip. "You told him about Maisa's death" he said softly, pressing into her feet. "By accident. There was a picture of a sick boy on the bucket and I couldn't stop myself" Missy sat up, batting him away. "She was so sickly in her last days" she said barely above a whisper. The Doctor dropped his hands and stood up, getting changed into his pyjamas. "You did the best you could for her Kos" he said sitting down again and pulling back the covers. Missy got herself under the covers and turned away from him. "Okay. We'll talk in the morning" the Doctor concluded, sensing exactly what mood Missy was in. The Time Lady nodded. "I'm sorry you were worried about me when I went out." The Doctor chuckled and turned out the lamp. "I'll always worry about you."


	35. Chapter Thirty-five

Clara found herself half sleepwalking down the stairs at the crack of dawn. Just one more day and then it would be the weekend the Brunette told herself as she pushed the door to the kitchen open. Truth be told, aside from the early start, Clara was quite looking forward to work. It meant that she could get out of the stifling atmosphere that had over taken the house as Missy's due date had approached and passed with no baby to show for it. The Time Lady's due date had passed over a week ago and other than a few Braxton Hicks, there had been no sign that the arrival was imminent. Kate, visiting last night, was convinced Missy was experiencing contractions but had been hiding them or unable to communicate what was happening. The blonde had mentioned catching the Time Lady wince in obvious discomfort and Clara had to agree that she had seen that a few times too. Either way, it was clear the tracking device had been reactivated and it had played havoc with Missy's sanity tipping her from lucid moments into moments of confusion in a matter of seconds. Clara had lost count of how many times her and the Doctor had had to remind Missy that Clara had been back from Blackpool for weeks and that it was no longer the festive season. As well as her confusion Missy had also flipped between not caring about the baby to her hormones driving her to act solely on maternal instincts; obsessed with the welfare of her baby and the environment that she was about to bring the infant into. More than ever, the Time Lady was hostile towards strangers. The poor postman had faced her wrath on several occasions.

The mood in the house had been anything but stable and Clara was grateful to have her job to escape to for some sense of normality. The teacher was about to turn the lights on when her foot connected with a bucket of soapy water and spilled over the tiles. "What the hell?" Clara muttered to herself, turning the light on to find Missy scrubbing the skirting boards. Ah, Clara thought, it was one of those mornings. Startled by the light, Missy turned to face the human. "Clara! Back from the family?" She declared before turning back to the obsessive cleaning. "No, Missy that was weeks ago. What are you doing?" She asked carefully, wondering where the Doctor was. "I'm cleaning. The air is so dirty and I need to clean for the baby" the Time Lady explained, not stopping. "It looks very clean now, Missy, I think you deserve a break. Shall we go and sit in the lounge?" Clara said decisively, not allowing the Time Lady the chance to argue as she helped her up and led her to the lounge. "I can have a break" Missy said to herself as Clara sat her down on the sofa. The human smiled kindly and nodded. "Why don't you close your eyes and have a sleep?" She suggested, unsurprised when the unusually docile Time Lady fell to sleep in an instant. Clara had a feeling that the Doctor had given Missy some medication in the hope that she would sleep. Problem was, he had fallen to sleep while the tracker and Missy's hormones had kept her up.

Walking up the stairs, Clara was keen to get the Doctor back to Missy before she left for work. Reaching the Time Lords' bedroom the woman knocked, hearing a shuffling as the Doctor slowly made his way to the door. "Clara" he half-yawned, looking at her in obvious confusion "everything okay?" Clara nodded, "Missy was on her hands and knees cleaning the kitchen. Apparently the air was too dirty for the baby" she explained watching the Time Lord look back over his shoulder and realising for the first time that Missy wasn't there. "She needs to rest! Kate already thinks she's in early labour" he sighed, pulling on his dressing gown and walking down the stairs two at a time. "She can't help it" Clara offered, scrambling behind him. "Anyway, she's settled now" the human stated as they both re-entered the lounge and saw Missy lightly snoring in front of the early morning news.

The Doctor nodded, "she wasn't manic?" He checked, sitting on the edge of the sofa. "No not manic, just hormones. As soon as I told her to stop and rest she did" Clara added, knowing that he needed to know the difference between when she had got herself too worked up and when it was containable. The Doctor nodded his approval at least she was somewhat stable for now he thought to himself as he leant down and checked the Time Lady's temperature. Both Kate and Dr Chang had warned that it was the later stages and birth that could have the biggest strain on Missy. They wanted to avoid another bout of time distortion especially during the birth.

As the Doctor pulled his hand away, Missy's eyes shot open and she stared at the Time Lord with a look of disdain. "I'm not a child with a fever" she drawled, clearly waking up in a more lucid mood as she eased herself up to sit against some of the cushions. Neither Clara or the Doctor could miss the obvious wince of discomfort that flittered across the Time Lady's face. "Was that a contra-" Clara asked, stepping forward. She was fed up of Missy's damn pride making this all much harder than it had to be. "No" the Time Lady cut her off, releasing a low breath and resting against the head of the sofa with closed eyes. Clara looked at the Doctor pointedly and everyone in the room knew that Missy was lying. "I know" the Doctor mouthed, holding his hand to prevent Clara's continued nagging. "Right, I am going to work. Do try and get to the hospital before your waters break, Missy" the teacher said sternly. She knew that the Time Lady was scared but pandering to her like this was not going to help any of them, least of all Missy. The jibe earned her a scowl from both the Doctor and Missy and she smirked proudly at that achievement, heading out of the door before either could say another word.

"So what thrilling activity have we planned for today? Abseiling...killing Daleks?" she asked, sarcasm dripping from her voice as she stood slowly and paced the length of the room at a snail's pace. The Doctor watched her closely and assessed every movement. "I know you're having contractions and I know you're scared" he stated calmly. "Kate has said that at this stage it is fine for you to stay here. We're going to the hospital tonight, though" he said firmly wanting to talk to her while she was clearly lucid. "I'm not having contractions!" Missy hissed, not turning away from the window as she watched the street come to life. The street lamps were turning off one by one and there were a few joggers passing by. "Are you going to keep saying that until the baby drops out?" He sighed, approaching her and running a thumb along her lower back "we are going to unit tonight and I would like it if you came and sat down." She glared at him and went to protest but decided she was too tired. Waddling back to her preferred seat on the sofa, she re-settled placing her feet on the plush footstool. "Thank you" the Time Lord stated, ignoring her petulant expression. "I want breakfast" she declared promptly. She could at least make the most of being waited on hand and foot. The Doctor ignored her defensive attitude and nodded. He knew she was scared and that her moods were even more out of her control than normal. Nodding, he wordlessly walked to the kitchen and left Missy to return to sleep.

Maisa looked tiny as she slept on the mattress that she shared with her mother. More reforms had been made by the High Council and the pair had had to move further into the villages. Yimin had lost his job and Koschei hadn't heard from him since the Council had rounded up former government officials and academics. Of course the Time Lady had an idea of where he was, or rather, what had happened to him. It was the same thing that had happened to Theta's family. All four of them had been rounded up and shot. Cilinzia, Unza, Daryn and even little Rilni were all gone. A hollow cough drew Koschei from her thoughts and she looked down at Maisa's tiny form wracked with coughs. The six year old tried to sit up and look around for water but didn't have any strength. "No, sit back little pea, Mama has some water here" she said softly, easing the girl up carefully and letting her take small sips of water. Maisa finished the water and quickly returned to a fitful sleep. Koschei studied her face. It was gaunt and grey. Placing the back of her hand to Maisa's forehead, she pulled it away quickly. It was hot. Red hot...

Red hot, searing pain was all Missy felt as she jolted awake. It was a burning cramp like pain and it took all of her energy not to cry out. Releasing a breath, Missy relaxed back into the sofa cushions and looked around the lounge. Good, the Time Lady thought, she was alone. For the last two days, she'd been experiencing discomfort that was gradually getting worse. She knew what it was. It had to be time for the baby to be born. At least that's what the humans had been saying to the Doctor. Kate had been whispering for days that Missy was overdue and Dr Chang had started talking about inducing her early next week. Missy had stopped listening. Not only was it repetitive but she couldn't really keep up with the conversation. The initial relief she had felt after her hospitalisation had given way to migraines and voices as Rassilon reactivated the tracking device. It was becoming harder and harder to ignore the call to follow the voices. A few nights ago, the Doctor had found her wandering aimlessly in the garden at three am; she doesn't recall it but could tell from the muddy ends of her dressing gown that it had happened. Between the mental call back to Gallifrey and the physical reaction that her body was having in preparation for the birth, she couldn't think straight. She knew she shouldn't be hiding the contractions but she didn't know what else to do. She was completely overwhelmed. She heard the Doctor walking in the hallway, mumbling on his phone probably talking to Kate; she was causing quite the fuss as Dr Chang and others prepared at the hospital. It could be Clara, she was due back from Blackpool where she'd seen the New Year's in any day.

The Time Lady gave up trying to decipher what was going on and flopped back against the head of the sofa, feeling a low buzz as another call from Rassilon's tracker started. Massaging her temples, she closed her eyes and swallowed trying to prepare for what was to come. We both know it's started, Mistress. You can hide from them but I can hear you thoughts. Rassilon's low, slick voice rang out in her mind and she scrunched her eyes shut as she tried to focus on ignoring him. Oh come on, don't push me out Mistress, Rassilon taunted, come to Gallifrey and we both know the birth will be much safer. You don't seriously trust the humans, do you? Suddenly, the idea of Gallifrey sounded appealing. It was the device, she knew it was the device. Still, resisting it seemed impossible. Despite her own will, Missy found herself standing up and heading for the door. That's it Mistress, head to the drive and they'll be someone waiting.

"She agreed this morning but she's got progressively more confused" the Doctor sighed, tilting his head as he heard movement in the lounge. When he'd left Missy she'd been dozing on the sofa again, by the sounds of it she'd woken up. Kate sighed on the end of the phone, running a hand over her face. Her and Dr Chang suspected Missy had been hiding her contractions after the Time Lady became cagey yesterday afternoon. Kate had recognised some of the symptoms of early contractions but Missy had outright denied it. "Okay" Kate sighed, "you need to have a word with her and make sure you do bring her in tonight. She could do herself and the baby serious damage if this continues." The Doctor swallowed, knowing Kate was right. He was about to respond when he heard the lounge door click open and Missy waddled out. "Kate, we'll try and be there in an hour. I've got to go" the Time Lord said quickly, standing up and blocking the front door. Missy had the same dazed expression on her face as the other night and he knew it was Rassilon's doing. As the Time Lady made it to door, the Doctor tried to catch her attention observing her with a gentle smile to avoid startling her. "Hey sweetheart" he said softly when she tried to reach out and open the door. Missy looked at him with bleary, unseeing eyes. "Where are you going?" The Doctor tried again to catch her attention and draw her back to reality. After several silent seconds, Missy blinked furiously and stared at him in recognition.

"Doctor" she breathed with a smile, relieved of his anchoring presence. The relief didn't last long though and before she knew it a fresh burning pain ripped through her. This time there was no way to hide it and she doubled over releasing a low, primal groan. The Time Lord sprang to action, darting forward and supporting her. At least now there was no way Missy could deny her contractions, she'd been caught. "I've got you, I've got you" the Doctor soothed in Gallifreyan helping to ease Missy up as he rubbed her back. Catching sight of her puffed cheeks and watery eyes, her pain was evident. He'd seen her experience pain and knew how high her tolerance for it was but right now she looked like she was in agony. "Oh darling" he sighed, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, "you know what this is, don't you?" Missy took a few steadying breaths while the Doctor supported her body weight. "I know" she whispered, foggy mind for the moment clear. The Doctor nodded, "we're going to need to go to the hospital" he said quickly, waiting for the opposition. No defiance came. "I know" Missy said in a low whisper. It was a tiny whisper. So defeated that it broke his hearts. "Come on, love, they're expecting us" he said, not dwelling on her quiet voice and helping her to the car.

It was cold outside, bitterly so and that was the first thing that hit Missy as they stepped into the driveway. The Time Lady couldn't understand why the humans all bleated on about snow and frost over Christmas when it was so much colder in the weeks after. It was now approaching late afternoon and the sky was a grey and bleak as it had been for the last two months. Missy sighed. She hated this weather, this boring sameness. At that moment, she pondered on how boring it was to think about the weather. Thoughts then shifted to panicking about not being more panicked and she froze on the doorstep unable to move any further. "I'm not doing this again" she declared, dropping his hand and staring at her feet. The Doctor turned back, unsurprised. He'd been waiting for this and thought her initial response had been too compliant. "My darling" he said softly, "I promise you, this is going to be okay. We really do have to go though" he pleaded, looking at Missy with desperate eyes and hoping she would listen to him. All he wanted to do was get her to the hospital and settled in somewhere safe.

Missy remained frozen, staring at her feet. She was starting to panic and couldn't keep focused on what was going on as her thoughts tried to catch up with what was happening. "I had to meet someone. They told me to come out here and then I could go with them and it would be better." There was a loud screeching in the distance followed by a horn from a lorry. The disturbance was enough to hide the two Time Lords that had been sent by Rassilon to collect Missy. The pair, draped in the traditional red robes, looked at each other before deciding to return to Gallifrey. They couldn't risk a confrontation now, they needed to wait for Missy to be alone. Teleporting away, the pair left no trace of their visit to earth. The slight illumination and rustling of a bush made the Doctor turn around and scan the surrounding area briefly. The temporal burst was evident and he knew they had to get going quickly. Turning back to Missy, he found her shaking and retreating away. The noise had disturbed her thoughts of having to meet someone and go with them, at least, but now she was desperate to get back inside and away from the noise. She was so desperate that she was scraping at the door, causing her nails to chip and fingers to bleed. "I need to go in. I can't be out here. I can't breathe out here" she rambled, tiring quickly and resting her head against the window panel. "Let me back in please, Doctor. I need to go back in there" she said, starting to sob. There was another strong gust of wind and icy rain started to fall from the sky in slow drops at first that quickly increased and dropped faster and faster. It stung the Doctor's skin, making it feel raw. Missy didn't seem to notice the bitter drops as she started clawing at the door again.

"We need to go sweetheart" the Doctor plied her away from the door, holding her close as they walked to the car. She was shaking like a leaf under his grasp and he feared her legs would give way if he didn't hold her firm. "I don't understand what is happening. Everything is happening so fast" she whispered, breaking into a whimper. "We're going to UNIT and we're going to get nice and comfortable and you're going to have your baby" he sad to her gently, wondering whether he had gone too far by mentioning the baby. "Maisa's my baby. She's dead." The Doctor coughed and opened the car door, easing the Time Lady in and fastening her seatbelt. "You're right, Maisa is your baby. I mean this baby, its time for this baby to be born" he clarified, unhappy with how it came out. He wanted to explain it properly, ensure she understood what was going on. Missy turned away, swallowing harshly and staring out the driver's side of the window. The Doctor sighed, stroking Missy's hair down. It was an attempt at comforting her as well as grounding her- he could see she was struggling to focus. Missy didn't respond and carried on staring out into the middle distance. "You're going to be okay" he sighed resignedly, a reassurance that was more for himself than her, as he closed the door and headed to the driver's seat.

The journey was passing in silence. They were about ten minutes away when Missy winced uncomfortably, hissing and fidgeting in pain. Pulling at the seatbelt, the Time Lady tried desperately to move around. The baby was positioned awkwardly and her body was urging her to move around. Frustrated, she sucked in a breath and scrunched her face up as she pressed against the headrest and banged her hand against the window. "I need to get out of this car. I need to move" she muttered breathily, struggling to steady her breathing. The pain was searing, crippling even, and then there was the ache in her back. As she opened her eyes, tears rimmed and threatened to fall. Ten seconds. That had lasted only ten seconds, but it had felt like an eternity. The Doctor reached out with one hand, squeezing her hand and making what he hoped were reassuring noises. "We're nearly there, love. Take a deep breath. In and out, in and out" he tried to reassure as she resettled. "It hurts. I need to move. It hurts" she continued to mutter, breathing now leveling out. "We're five minutes away, love. Five little minutes and you'll be able to walk around" the Doctor said calmly as they turned into the side road leading to the UNIT hospital. Missy forced herself to relax and she parroted back after him, "five more minutes."

The Time Lord offered a small smile and squeezed her hand before the pair returned to silence as they drove the rest of the way. Missy found her eyes drifting shut as the heavy, lethargic feeling swamped her. Head resting against the cool window, she let the sleep carry her away. The last few days, she'd barely been able to sleep as pains and discomfort plagued her. If it wasn't that, then there had been Rassilon's voice echoing in her mind and attempting to control her. It had to have been at least a week since she had slept properly, there was no harm in giving into a little rest now.

Theta edged into the room slowly, eyes scanning the clay interior of the tiny one-windowed bedroom. The Time Lord covered his nose as the stale smell of blood and death reached his nose and caused him to gag. The second sun was setting, casting long shadows into the room and the dry heat and familiar atmosphere reminded Theta that he was back home. Home. As if such a thing existed anymore. It had been years since he had been on Gallifrey. He'd left with Susan, when she was just a babe in arms, after the rest of their family had been murdered by the new regime during the preparations for war. He wasn't the same Time Lord anymore. He was a fugitive of the state and hadn't planned on ever returning back to Gallifrey. After all, he had Susan and his Tardis and that was everything he needed. Well, almost everything he needed. Koschei had stayed on Gallifrey. When he'd left, she still had a life on their home planet. A life that she couldn't leave. A lot had changed since he'd been gone and the letter he'd received from his brother informing him of Koschei and her predicament had only been the start. Theta rustled the letter in his hand, feeling the rough paper, almost in an attempt to prove its existence as he planned how to proceed.

"Be quiet or you'll wake her." A hoarse voice warned. It was low and full of threat.

Brother, you must return to Gallifrey. It's about Koschei and Maisa. The letter had begun, penned in his older brother's scrawled handwriting.

Theta stepped into the bedroom, eyes set on Koschei's back as it rose and fell with her hollow breathing . The Time Lady was hunched over Maisa's still form, dabbing at the girl's forehead with a wet flannel. Maisa was still as a statue. Pretty as a doll. An explosion went off nearby as High Council forces quashed the last remnants of the rebels and headed towards the village. Theta jumped, unused to the loudness of the war. Coughing to hide his unease, the Time Lord stepped in and crouched by Koschei. The Time Lady didn't look away from Maisa. Didn't even show any recognition that he was there. Theta read over the letter in his mind.

Maisa is dead and Koschei won't let the authorities take the body. She has killed five government agents and needs detaining. You are the only one that will be able to assist.

Theta's eyes lowered to Maisa's lifeless form and he let out a pained cry. The Time Tot he had cradled was now another casualty of this dreaded war.

"I said be quiet. She is ill and needs to sleep" Koschei repeated monotonously, still not looking away. She was an unhealthy grey colour with sunken eyes and greasy hair.

"Kos, it's me and Maisa's not-"

"I know who it is" Koschei cut him off harshly, "if it were anyone else, you'd be dead and on the pile with them." The Time Lady nodded in the direction of the rotting corpses. "And if you're about to tell me she's dead, save your breath. I know she is but they're not taking her."

The slamming of the car door woke Missy up and she quickly tried to shake away the dream as she regained a grasp on her surroundings. A cool breeze hit her as the Doctor opened the door. "We're at the hospital, Missy" he explained as her eyes met his, he had been happy to let the Time Lady get some shut eye and had left her to sleep, aware that she'd had little decent rest over the last few weeks. When he'd heard her call out Maisa's name though, he knew he had to wake her. Missy looked at him and blinked a few times as she tried to remember everything.

The hospital Mistress, the human hospital to have the baby. Surely you remember that? Missy whimpered and scratched at the side of her head as Rassilon's voice rang out. The Time Lady reached out for the Doctor and tried to pull herself up, failing to and falling back on to the seat. "I'm not listening to you. I'm not going" she muttered, trying to ground herself and force herself to ignore Rassilon's taunts. The Doctor kneeled down and stroked his thumb along the back of her hands, swallowing harshly as he saw her struggling. It wasn't fair, the contractions were distressing enough but to have to experience the voices as well seemed too unfair. Then again, the Doctor wasn't entirely sure what he had expected from them. "You are doing so well by not listening to him" the Time Lord encouraged, realising it sounded patronising but wanting to encourage her.

Missy blinked and focused on him, reaching her hand out to cup his cheek. He was there. He was really there, she thought as she traced her fingers over his rough skin. "Can you help me up please" she asked pitifully as she looked out to the hospital entrance in worry. She hated this, hated that she couldn't stand up on her own. "Yes, here we go" the Doctor reached forward and eased her up. She looked tired still and had such a long time ahead. The contractions were coming in odd patterns, but certainly weren't close together. Kate had mentioned the space between contractions was important but he couldn't remember why, he just hoped she'd be allowed some kind of a rest.

The walk to the hospital was slow and laboured, with Missy pausing every few steps. Each step closer to the hospital was going against her instincts, both those brought on by Rassilon's device and her deep rooted fear of hospitals. There hadn't been another contraction and that was starting to worry her, what if this was another false alarm and she'd have to go through it all again? The rain hadn't stopped, only got heavier and the hem of Missy's jogging bottoms were dragging along the muddied ground. "I don't understand why they talk so much about the weather here when it's so damn boring" the Time Lady said as they reached the entrance of the hospital. Her comment took them both by surprise with its mundane nature and the fact that it had even been spoken. Quick to keep her talking the Doctor chuckled slightly more than the quip warranted and nodded excessively. "They're pudding brains. Its hard to understand why they do anything." Missy cringed at his over-reaction but hang onto the thread of conversation as though it was her anchor. "When this is over and the sprog is out" she spoke through gritted teeth as she tried to hide the affection she had developed for the baby, "we'll go somewhere hot, somewhere away from this miserable little planet."

The Doctor inhaled sharply, had she forgotten she'd have to raise the baby for its first month or so? He couldn't have her going into the birth thinking this was it. "Missy, listen-" he started, causing Missy to halt, stomach flipping. He wouldn't want to know her once this was over, the only reason she hadn't been detained and sent back to a high security prison was because of the baby. When it was out of her, he'd go back to wanting nothing to do with her. "Don't worry" the Time Lady quickly responded, shielding herself from the inevitable hurt. "This was temporary, when the baby's out we'll go back to how it was before. You'll have your humans and I'll hide away until I think of a plan suitable enough to warrant your attention" she said icily, voice carefully guarded. The Doctor also paused, turning to her in shock. How could she think that? That he would just abandon her once the baby was born. Yes, he did have form for running away but he could never just leave her after such a traumatic experience. "No, that's not what I was going to say" he said, watching Missy look anywhere but him. "Look at me, Kos" he sighed, gripping her shoulders and forcing her to look at him. "You can stay with me for as long as you like when all of this is over and if you promise to behave, I would love to go on trips with you." Missy gulped, not daring to believe his words. "I mean it, love. But what I was going to say was remind you that you'll have to care for the baby for the first month or so. She won't survive without you." Missy nodded and looked at the pools of murky water that were forming in the gutter. "I know, I don't want to bond with her though. She's not mine, not really." The Doctor looked at her and tried to find the right words. None came and with defeat, he placed a consoling kiss on the top of her head and rubbed her upper arm gently. Missy shivered from both the cold and the impending events. "Let's go inside and get settled."

The foyer of the hospital was empty, apart from a young-looking soldier that was watching the scene between the two Time Lords with great interest. It was the soldier's first day on shift and he had been posted at the entrance of the hospital and told it was an easy posting. The most disturbance he might receive was civilians mistaking the hospital for a public one, if that were the case, he was to simply provide them with directions to ' down the road. He was not, under any circumstances, allowed to let the lost civilians enter the premises- even if they looked like they were about to drop dead. As the soldier looked over at the middle-aged man and woman walking to the entrance, he assumed that was these were simply two lost civilians.

With a steadying breath, the soldier took two long strides to meet the pair. They were just two civilians. He could handle them. If he couldn't, how was he ever going to progress onto the bigger operations? "Excuse me! Sir, madam" the soldier called out, trying to sound authoritative but unable to keep the nerves from his voice. Both the Doctor and Missy looked over before the former led the latter to the man. "Ah! Excellent! Would you call Kate Stewart for us? She's expecting us." The soldier faltered as he heard Kate's name, he hadn't even met the boss yet. No, it was bound to be a trick. The woman did look very pregnant, though and he had heard some talk of a baby being overdue. But that had been to do with the Master and the Doctor, not anything to do with someone as low down as him. "Sir, I think you might be a bit lost. This is a military hospital. I can give you directions to St. James'" he stammered, ignoring the calculating look Missy was giving him.

The Doctor went to explain but before he could get a word out, Missy spoke up. "How sweet!" She trilled, prowling towards him as stealthily as she could manage. "It's your very first day, isn't it?" The Doctor glared at her, attempting to pull her back. Why did she always have to try and prove herself? "Missy" he warned out of the corner of his mouth and watched the Time Lady still, though it wasn't because of his words. Another pang of pain had washed over Missy and caused her to buckle forwards, scrambling for the soldier's hand and hissing Gallifreyan expletives. It was then, as the Doctor rushed forward muttering soothing words in the same language, that the soldier realised who he was dealing with. Removing his now bruised hand, the soldier's face reddened."I.. I'm sorry Mr. President. I'll let Ms. Stewart know you're here" he stuttered before radioing up to the hospital. Missy straightened up and rolled her eyes at the Doctor's title but held on to him tightly as she prepared for the inevitable onslaught from Rassilon. "She'll meet you up there" the soldier informed them sheepishly. "Would you like a wheelchair?" He asked, surveying Missy's unsteadiness and the way she was clinging to the Doctor. Missy went to protest but the Doctor cut in first. "She would, yes" he answered quickly, watching Missy as he helped her into the chair and wheeled her into the lift.


	36. Chapter Thirty-six

Alsaz breathed in and counted to ten. Rassilon was angry. Angrier than he'd been in months and that was saying something. Things had already been bad enough with the villages becoming unsettled. "Lord President, you have to understand it was impossible to get hold of the Mistress while he was there" the Time Lady explained patiently, trying to hide the fear from her voice. Rassilon stood, glowering over Alsaz. "We need the infant born here!" He exclaimed hitting the table with his fist. Alsaz shirked away and bowed her head, waiting for him to calm down. After several seconds, Rassilon looked up at her, face still clouded with anger. "There better be a plan and it better be a good one" he seethed, unwilling to watch his plan fail. Bracing herself, Alsaz sat down and took a steadying breath. "We have a plan Lord President..."

"How are you feeling?" The Doctor asked, breaking the silence in the tiny lift. Missy nodded, feeling utterly humiliated as she was wheeled into a human hospital. She didn't know how she was feeling. When the contractions were happening or Rassilon was taunting her, she was in pain. All the other times, she was just numb. "That's not an answer, my love" the Doctor said gently, he couldn't have her retreating into her own world right now. Missy looked up at him and shrugged. "I don't know how I feel" she admitted croakily, listening carefully as the lift juddered up and down; she gulped nervously. Everything was making her so damn nervous. The Doctor picked up on her mixed emotions and rubbed her shoulders, "it's a lot to take in" he reassured as the lift reached its destination.

As the doors opened, Missy's eyes widened at the sight of the busier working hospital. This was a different department to the one they normally went to. "This isn't the normal one" Missy attempted to mutter, but nothing more than a whimper came out. The Doctor looked around in confusion, wondering if he'd gone to the wrong floor. As Kate's heels echoed down the corridor, however, he knew that he was in the right place. "There you are!" Kate chirped, reaching the pair and smiling. Catching sight of the two Time Lords, Kate took in their expressions. Missy's eyes darted around the lively hospital apprehensively, scanning the surroundings for threats and an escape. The Doctor looked around concerned and knowing Missy wouldn't be comfortable here for any length of time.

As a group of nurses rushed past wheeling a reptillian humanoid on a stretcher, Missy's breath caught in her throat and she felt her chest tighten. There was a glistening handcuff attached to the reptilian's orange wrist and blood gushing out of a wound on its side. This was the ward for the prisoners, for the detainees. Were they planning on locking her up once she'd given birth? The images of her previous stays in prison hospitals came back to her with crippling intensity and she started to scratch at her arms anxiously. Kate watched the excitement die down as the stretcher was wheeled off the ward and turned back to take in Missy's increased anxiousness. The Time Lady's blood pressure must be sky high and that would be no good for the birth. "They were handcuffed for their own good, not as a prisoner" Kate said calmly, trying in vain to get Missy to calm down. It didn't work and the human looked up at the Doctor as Missy scrunched up small and held her head in her hands, humming softly to herself. The Doctor ran a hand over his face and shook his head at Kate. "She won't understand that concept" he stated bluntly, knowing that after years spent restrained under the pledge that it was for her own safety that had never been the reality. Kate nodded, "we are going to another ward. This was just the easiest way to come" the woman explained, setting off down the corridor and hoping the Doctor would take the hint to follow. "I think the best thing to do is get as settled as possible. Dr Chang is waiting for us downstairs but you'll have a chance to get comfortable before he checks Missy over" Kate said, tight voice controlled as she led the Doctor through a maze of corridors.

The motion sensor lights brightened the dim and empty floor that was to be used to treat only Missy. It was the part of the hospital that looked the least clinical and the place she'd become most accustomed to. During the weeks leading up to the festive season, when she had felt better, Missy had even helped the Doctor make the room her own. Kate stifled a laugh as she remembered the Time Lady sitting primly on the chair ordering the Doctor about. "I've had to destroy Imperial Dynasties to get suites like this one" she had declared in that sing song voice. And it had been like a royal suite, there was an expansive bedroom area and adjoining ensuite bathroom. The room wasn't completely de-hospitalised, however, it couldn't be for obvious reasons. There were machines and drugs tucked away. Still, the room was the least clinical it could be and would hopefully keep Missy calm during the delivery.

It appeared to be doing that as Kate looked over at the Time Lady and found that she had stopped the repetitive humming and was now peering around the room in recognition, shoulders dropping as she relaxed and uncoiled. "This is the right room. I remember this room" Missy muttered, turning back to the Doctor who brushed her hair from her face and nodded encouragingly. Kate breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the scene. Anything to ensure that Missy was calmer throughout the birth was what she wanted. The woman still had a lot to find out about how far into the labour Missy was but knew the primary concern was getting her settled. The Time Lady didn't appear very far, having shown no outward sign of experiencing contractions since Kate had been with them. That didn't mean she hadn't had a contraction, of course, the Time Lady may well have experienced one but not shown it. Even so, by being able to do that, she was definitely in the early stages. Kate cringed as she recalled the last stages of her labours.

"I just need to go to the toilet" Missy's rushed whisper disturbed Kate's thoughts and the blonde turned to watch the Time Lady ease herself up and walk slowly towards the bathroom. Missy felt her cheeks redden as she made her way across the room. Having to tell a human she needed to use the toilet. The shame! The embarrassment she felt, however, was nothing compared to the burning ache in her back. It was unrelenting and made her have to break at the ensuite door, just to get some respite from the ache. The Doctor held back, watching as she leaned against the door frame and took a few breaths. "Do you want my help?" He asked tentatively, earning him a warning glance from her as she straightened up and proceeded to wordlessly slam the door. A simple no would have sufficed the Doctor thought to himself as the echoing sounds of Missy moving slowly and clumsily rang out into the bedroom area. Kate had ignored the scene, leaving the two Time Lords to it; she doubted either would have appreciated her interference very much. Instead, she retrieved Missy's pre-packed hospital bag from under the bed and started to unpack it.

The Doctor turned to Kate, shrugging off his jacket. It was hot in the room, it needed to be for both Missy and the newborn with earth being considerably colder than Gallifrey. The Time Lord realised just how much research and preparation Dr Chang had done. In the corner of the room, a copy model of the Tardis translation circuit had been installed, the young Dr Chang had had the foresight to realise that Missy would fall into Gallifreyan and it wouldn't be fair on her to have to keep reminding her to speak English. "This is great, Kate, you've really thought of everything" the Doctor praised, watching the blonde turn around and smile proudly. "Well we do manage to do things competently here, despite what you two might think" Kate laughed, passing the Doctor the new cotton nightie for Missy. The Time Lord just nodded, removing the tag and folding the nightie over the end of the bed. "When she comes back out, I'll leave Missy to get changed and settled and then I'll have Dr Chang come in and examine her. How are you finding everything?" She asked, catching sight of his tired face. They heard noises resume in the bathroom as Missy stood up, flushed the chain and went to the sink. The Doctor paused, listening out for any sign that the Time Lady needed help before turning back to Kate. "It's not like I thought it would be" he admitted. Kate nodded, "you've watched too much TV" she laughed, "Did you think it would be an hour of screaming and then the baby arrived?" All men really were the same, she thought to herself. Even if they were alien.

The Doctor went to protest but realised that was exactly what he had thought. "She's barely shown signs of the contractions other than a few over the last two hours. Is that normal?" He asked, eyebrows pinching in concern as he realised how out of his depth he was. He wanted to be able to support Missy, who was just as clueless as him, but there was so much he didn't know. "Perfectly normal. I think she's in the very early stages. Her contractions will get closer together over the next few hours. We'll know more after Dr Chang has examined her, but I'd say that she's early enough in the whole process that we can get her settled with some pain relief and she'll be able to have at least a bit of a sleep. She looks utterly exhausted" Kate commented, finishing unpacking the bag and tucking it under the bed. "I know. She hasn't slept very well at all lately. Clara found her cleaning the kitchen on her hands and knees this morning. She's never cleaned in all her lives" he shook his head at the memory. "Nesting. She's nesting. Pregnancy might not be natural to Time Lords, but she's certainly experiencing the traditional symptoms."

The Doctor looked at her in confusion and went to ask what Kate was talking about when they heard Missy cry out. It was that same low primal scream that petered out to a low moan and what sounded like a stifled sob. The Doctor darted to the door, followed closely by Kate. "Missy, are you okay?" He asked, realising it was pointless and he couldn't ask that every time she had a contraction. He went to open the door sighing as he noticed it was locked. "Love, come and open the door" he encouraged softly, hearts breaking as he heard her whimpering and breathing shakily. Missy had just managed to pull herself up from the toilet and make her way to the sink when the fresh pain hit. Gripping the sink tightly as her knuckles turned white, she had been unable to stop herself crying out and was trying to take steadying breaths to control the pain. The first thing she was aware of as the pain subsided and she returned to the ever-present lethargic ache was the Doctor's voice. "I...I didn't mean to lock you out. I locked it by nature. I wasn't locking you out" she muttered quietly as she slowly walked towards the door. The Doctor sighed, she sounded scared that she'd done something wrong. "I know that sweetheart, will you open the door for me now though?" He encouraged. holding his breath as he heard her slow movements.

Kate and the Doctor listened as the lock clicked and Missy opened the door. The Time Lady looked up at the pair, face red and dark hair sticking to her sweating forehead. She'd splashed water over her cheeks and the cool drops were running down her cheeks. "That was a big one" she sighed, shuffling past the Doctor and Kate. Flopping into the chair, she exhaled and ran the heel of her hand along her stomach and brought her other hand to massage her forehead. The low buzz of Rassilon's tracker started in the back of her mind. Tick Tock Mistress. Missy dropped her head and whimpered slightly while the Doctor crouched down at her side and ran his thumb along her thigh. "I am so proud of you, you're doing really well" he encouraged, knowing that she was trying not to listen to Rassilon. The Time Lady looked up at him, lips parted slightly as she concentrated on the Doctor. "I'm tired. I am so tired" she half sobbed, leaning forward and holding onto the Doctor's shirt. Nuzzling against his shoulder, she inhaled and tried to take some comfort in his familiar scent. The Doctor placed a comforting hand on the back of her head "I know you are. Kate says that you should be able to have a sleep once Dr Chang has examined you" he soothed gently, pushing her away and running his thumb along her cheek. "Would you like that?"

Missy nodded quickly and Kate coughed, eager to get Missy examined as soon as possible. "Right, you get changed Missy and I'll go and get Dr Chang" the blonde stated, passing the nightie to the Time Lady and watching as the Doctor helped her up. "Get settled on the bed once you're ready and we'll be back in about ten minutes" Kate smiled, before heading out of the room in search of Dr Chang.

"Is she ready?" Dr Chang asked, looking up from his files and replacing his pen in his front pocket. "Give them ten minutes and she will be" Kate smiled, glancing back at the security doors as they opened and Clara walked in, approaching the desk. "Ah" Kate smiled at the woman, watching as Clara's face changed from that of quiet determination to relief. "The Doctor let you know they were here then?" Kate commented, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Clara dropped her laptop bag on the desk and shook her head. "I went back to the house and when they weren't there assumed they were here." Kate nodded. "He's been distracted. I'm sure he would have called once Missy was settled." "I know" Clara smiled, "I'm just relieved she's here. How's she been?" As Kate went to respond, a smash echoed into the reception area followed by several expletives. "Calm down now" the Doctor's voice slipped under the door. It was low and calm and oh so Scottish. It was followed by Missy's voice that was equally Scottish but high pitched and far from calm. "Don't tell me what to do." Another smash. A sob. Silence. Dr. Chang tapped his fingers along the desk. Kate sighed. "Mixed. But you know that more than any of us. I think we should go in there now. There's never going to be a good moment. Let's go now."

Missy had been settled until her apparently sudden outburst. The Doctor was still soothing the burning red mark on his cheek as Kate and Dr Chang descended upon the room, while Missy was halfway through getting changed and doubled over the side cabinet. "Doctor" Kate exclaimed. Dr Chang remained still, observing the Time Lady and warily eyeing the half used syringe discarded carelessly on the floor. "I'm fine just check on Missy" the Time Lord nodded over at the Time Lady, waving kate's attempts at assistance away. Dr Chang took the plunge first, despite his nerves, approaching Missy and guiding her over to the bed surprised when the Time Lady co-operated. Listening to her shallow breathing and the way her eyes were drifting shut, he guessed another contraction had passed and that had led to the latest outburst. Kate trailed behind Dr Chang, retrieving the nightie. Now in full doctor mode Dr Chang sat the Time Lady down, again not quite believing her placid compliance. "Right, we need to get you examined" he said decisively, lifting her T shirt over her head and changing her into the nightie. All the while, Missy remained rigid staring at a spot on the wall through clouded eyes.

The Doctor averted his eyes, hating watching the human change Missy and slightly resenting that Dr Chang was able to do it while his own attempts had led to such an outburst. Kate, watching over Dr Chang's shoulder, tried to catch Missy's attention. She'd never liked when the Master was quiet but this concern was, for once, for the Master rather than what she might be about to do. "Missy?" She ventured, in a soft voice usually reserved for her children. No response. "Mistress, are you okay?" She tried again. Still no response. "She's in some form of shock" Dr Chang surmised, finishing changing her. "This happened in the faction. She just shut down." Kate looked over to the Doctor who stepped forward and squeezed Missy's shoulder. "This happens when she's stressed" he explained, turning back to Missy who still hadn't responded. "She needs to get into a better frame of mind and soon" Kate sighed. "Let's take it slowly" Dr Chang stated, ever professional as he helped Missy lay back. "I'm going to examine you now" he said, carefully spreading her legs. The Doctor nodded at him when Missy didn't respond and Dr Chang continued his examination.

Missy was slightly aware of what was going on around her but had struggled to remain focused. Blinking, she tried to recall what had happened. The Doctor had been helping her start to change. Then there'd been another pain. Why was she in so much pain? Then there'd been those voices. Gallifrey. She had to go back to Gallifrey. Sitting up abruptly she tried to get off the bed, surprising the others in the room. "Woah, steady" the Doctor leaned forward, pushing her back. "Where are you going?" He asked, watching Missy look up at him dazedly. "Gallifrey" she breathed, feeling a pain build across her stomach as she growled and pressed into the bed. The Doctor ignored her comment about Gallifrey and instead focused on providing comfort to her where he could. "Nice deep breaths, Missy" he soothed, pushing back her hair. As the pain passed, Missy blinked at him. "What's happening? I don't understand what's happening" the Time Lady cried jolting as she saw Dr Chang at the end of the bed and felt exposed and suddenly aware that she'd been changed. "I don't want him down there" she whispered to the Doctor, trying to move back onto the bed.

"I'm done now, Missy" Dr Chang said calmly. It was an interesting to watch the human transform from a nervous young man into a professional, calm Doctor. "Things are progressing well, slowly but well" he beamed, seemingly unbothered by Missy's confusion. "The baby, the baby" Missy breathed, recognition crossing her features as she flopped against the pillows. Kate went to the medical cabinet, retrieving the pain relief patches and passing one to Dr Chang.

"Welcome back to planet Earth" the Doctor chuckled softly, now used to her rapid mood swings. Missy offered him a weak smile and let out a yawn. "This is the best torture tactic they've ever managed" she said with a small laugh. The Doctor grimaced at her dark humour. It was always her defence. "Love, you're doing-" "If you're about to tell me I'm doing well, save it" Missy drawled, with a dramatic eye roll for good measure. I seem to recall being promised drugs and the chance to sleep. I can't see this monster making her appearance any time soon" she stated, turning to the humans and patting her stomach. "Drug me up, doc" she chirped, eager for sleep. The Time Lady was surprised with the instincts she was getting from her body. She could tell this was early on and she needed to rest while she could. Dr Chang smiled at Missy and walked up to the side of her bed, placing the patch on her wrist. "Baby won't be making an appearance today, you're right" he said softly, watching Missy relax as the medication entered her system. The Time Lady exhaled and closed her eyes. The Doctor relaxed himself as he saw her settle. "At the moment, you're only about 2cm dilated. We've got a long way to go." Missy snorted and peered at him as she opened one eye. "We?" she said dryly "last time I checked, it wasn't you that was having contractions." Dr Chang held his hands up, "you're right there. Anyway, I suggest getting some sleep now and I'll be back to check on you in an hour or so" he said, heading for the door. "Mhmm" Missy murmured, turning away and giving in to sleep. "Come and have a word with us when she's asleep" Kate whispered, shutting the door.

The door clicking shut woke Missy suddenly and she sat up pulling the Doctor close. "Stay. Please, just until I'm asleep" she whispered, the bravado she'd shown disappearing now it was just the two of them. The Doctor stroked her hair back and eased her back down "I am, love. I'll be right here. Now, you need to rest while you can." Missy shuffled, whining in discomfort and taking a deep breath as another contraction hit. The drugs may have dulled the pain enough to let her rest but she could still feel it. "Mmm" Missy groaned, unable to get comfortable as she kicked at the sheets in irritation, "What can I do?" The Doctor asked, watching her turn away and reach for a pillow and pull it close in an attempt to get comfortable. Missy growled a few more times and bit her bottom lip in an attempt to control the pain. The Doctor watched sympathetically as she clung to the sheets and let out small breaths.

"Sweetheart" he started, "what can I do?" He repeated, crouching and trying to catch her eyes. "That one's over" she stated decisively. The rain picked up outside and lashed against the window in great lashes. It was one of those short midwinter days where the sun barely made an appearance. Returning his attention to the room, the Doctor squinted at the brightness of the lights and made the executive decision to turn them off. There was no way that Missy would be able to rest with the imposing light. Missy remained turned away, breathing steadily. "Better with the lights dimmed, don't you think?" A long pause. A muffled response. The Doctor reached the head of the bed and watched Missy look up at him. In that instant, she didn't look like the Master that he'd come to know over the last few centuries. She looked just like the child he had met at the Academy. Gone were the malicious smirks and manic eyes. Those were replaced with the innocent and apprehensive expression that Koschei had worn so much as a young boy at the Academy. Koschei was always so anxious as a boy. "My back hurts. Can you rub it until I sleep please?" She said quietly, voice cutting through the Doctor's thoughts. "Sure. Turn around and close your eyes" he said softly, pulling a chair closer and rubbing circles in her back. "It really hurts, I'm not making it up" the Time Lady sniffed, adjusting the sheets and growing frustrated with herself. The Doctor carried on rubbing deep circles in her back. "Shh, shh. I know it hurts. Try and get some rest while you can" he soothed, knowing the window of time she had to rest was small.

Missy blinked, moving her hand to her bump. Can you hurry up, poppet. No response but a sleepy presence. It was a big day for the infant too. Focusing on the outside, Missy watched the rain hit the glass. "It's like rainy season at home" she commented, heavy eyelids dropping shut. "It is" the Doctor responded, hearing the tiredness in her voice and knowing she wasn't far from sleep. "I never liked rainy season" she yawned, fighting sleep. "I know. Go to sleep, Missy." Silence resumed and after a few seconds, the Doctor stood up and looked over to find Missy sleeping lightly.

"They might have done some great research!" Kate laughed, offering Clara a plate of biscuits. The teacher snorted and reached for a digestive. "Please" she sighed in disbelief, waving the red biro at the Blonde. "Even if that were the case, no amount of research would tell you Vlad the Impaler slept with a cuddly bear. This reeks of renegade Time Lord. This reeks of you!" She turned her pen on the Doctor who had just entered the room. "What?" He asked, eyebrows shooting up as he looked back over his shoulder to check Missy's room was in sight. "Chloe Parsons' homework" Clara stated accusingly. "When did you take her to meet Vlad anyway?" The Doctor's eyebrows knitted together in confusion as he reached down for a tea cake, realisation dawning as he smirked. "That was Missy" he bit into the marshmallow middle to hide his amusement. "And she didn't take her anywhere, she just fed her a pack of lies about him. Missy's had an ongoing feud with him and I can't remember how it started" he laughed fondly as he remembered the Time Lady's eyes light up when Chloe had asked her what she knew about Vlad the Impaler. The blue eyes that had been so dull in the last few months had sparkled with mischief and he couldn't deny her that pleasure. "If you want to have a go at a Time Lady about to give birth, be my guest." He was joking, of course, Clara wouldn't make it as far as the door if she tried. Clara frowned, mind swirling with questions. "Just keep her away from my students" she warned, closing the books.

"She asleep now?" Kate asked, watching as the Doctor looked back into Missy's room and nodded. "Good. She needs some rest while she can" Kate asserted. She'd changed into her casual wear and the Doctor couldn't get over how different she looked when her suit was stripped away. It was just like when he saw the Brigadier in jeans. "And we want to talk to you" Kate added, catching the faraway look in the Doctor's eyes. Dr Chang took a seat next to Kate. "What about? Is everything okay?" The Doctor asked, immediately back in the room and starting to panic. Dr Chang raised his hand. "Everything's fine" he reassured, "she' s doing really well. It's going to be a long time, if this was normal circumstances we'd send her home and tell her to come back when labour was a bit more established." The Doctor nodded. "But... you can't send her home. I'll never get her back here" he asserted. "That's why we said in normal circumstances" Kate reassured with a smile, sipping her tea. They were acting so normal. Well, this or at least the event of child birth was everyday to humans. "We won't send her home, but we do want to ask you to give consent on her behalf." The Doctor furrowed his brows. "Consent for what?" He asked quickly, concern pooling inn his stomach. "Nothing yet" Dr Chang said, looking up from his notes "but if there are complications, we want you to say that she can have any treatment she might need."

The Doctor nodded. Kate smiled before looking at him sternly. "And you need to accept that you are here to support Missy, you're not her medical doctor. Things are going to get..." Kate paused as she tried to think of a way to describe what was about to happen. "Intense. The best way you can help her is to support her and leave everything else to Dr Chang and I." The Doctor nodded. "It's going to get more intense?" He questioned, images of Missy writhing in pain ingrained in his mind. Clara looked up from her reading in disbelief, "of course it is" she scoffed, smirking. "But it needs to get worse for baby to be born" Dr Chang reassured quickly. "Exactly" Kate added, "now that patch we gave Missy should let her sleep for a while and hopefully through some of these early contractions. So, for now, you need to relax too. We're ordering in some pizza, sit down and eat with us here" Kate stated, leaving no chance for protest.

Missy slept far longer than any of them thought she would, sleeping undisturbed for the best part of two hours. "So why do they all stay there if so many bad things are always happening?" The Doctor asked Clara as the credits to Eastenders rolled. "Because it makes good TV" Clara exclaimed. "That's debatable" the Time Lord muttered causing Kate to laugh. Clara went to object when she caught sight of Missy entering the room. "Hello Sleeping Beauty" she beamed, receiving a blank expression. "I'm looking for my friend. Have you seen him? Theta?" Missy called, stuck in a daze. The Doctor jumped up, "I'm here, love" he approached her, cupping her elbow and catching sight of the liquid dripping down her thighs. Kate and Dr Chang exchanged knowing glances but held back. Missy tugged at his sleeve. "Theta" she whispered, desperation in her voice "I need your help before the room inspections." The Doctor ran his hand over his face. "We're not at the Academy, Kos" he said softly, trying to lead her back to her room. "Don't tease me" she warned, letting him lead her. Kate followed with Doctor Chang. "I wet myself" Missy whispered, nodding at the dampened sheets. "That doesn't matter" he reassured, kissing her forehead. Kate tactfully confirmed that the damp sheets were in fact the result of Missy's waters breaking, as her and Dr Chang had suspected. "Well done, Missy" Kate said calmly, placing a towel on the bed. The Time Lady looked at Kate in confusion. Who was this woman and why was she in her dorm? Ignoring Missy's obvious confusion, Kate continued, "you've slept through quite a few contractions and it looks like your waters have broken. Things are really moving now." Dr Chang washed his hands and called over from the sink, "I'm going to examine you and see how things are going" he said, guiding the Doctor to lead Missy to the bed.

The Time Lord complied, deciding Missy's confusion could be dealt with after the physical check. The pair walked a few steps when Missy tensed, face contorting in pain as she doubled over and growled. The Doctor watched, amazed as the Time Lady remained calm and took steadying breaths as a look of complete concentration painted her features. After thirty seconds, she stood and with complete clarity sighed "those were a lot easier when I was asleep". The Doctor blinked and watched, mouth hanging open as Missy waddled to the bed. It was as though ten minutes ago she hadn't thought herself a young boy that had wet himself at the Academy. Kate and Dr Chang took a while to get over the change too, quickly setting about the examination. "Well, for the rest of this, you'll have to be awake. I don't think even Time Ladies can sleep through this" Dr Chang laughed as he finished up. "4cm, so there's still a fair way to go. We'll get some stronger meds that'll help with the pain and hopefully ease the bouts of confusion" he said, peeling another patch and placing it on the top of her thigh. This patch was stronger and the effects were instant.

Missy leaned back, feeling the drugs enter her system and letting a sigh out as she faced the Doctor. Tension disappearing, she felt a brief heady rush and heard herself giggle. She was sure it was herself she heard giggle but it sounded far away and made her giggle again, just to check. Lightheadedly, she reached for the Doctor and attempted to whisper "Time Lord medicine" as she looked at him gratefully with wide eyes. It was her way of trying to thank him for the pain relief he'd produced. She felt like she was floating, the pain and aches numbed. Giggling again, she sloppily attempted to kiss his hand managing to miss it all together. "I feel like a cloud" Missy sighed. Kate stifled a laugh as she checked Missy's blood pressure and temperature. "Just how strong was that stuff?" She asked the Doctor as Missy's eyes followed her movements. "Golden hair" Missy hummed, turning back to the Doctor, "you had lovely golden hair."

The room span and she giggled again, scrunching her face up. "Strong" the Doctor confirmed, shaking his head as he watched Missy's blown pupils follow something that only she could see. It reminded him of the night they had experimented at the Academy. "But it'll wear off quickly. Especially if she eats something" He ran his hand over her forehead, watching her crane her neck and smile blearily. She was slightly flushed, forehead sticky. Dr Chang clocked the Time Lord's line of thought. "We'll get a cool flannel" he nodded, not overly concerned about Missy's temperature but keen to keep her comfortable. The Doctor relaxed. "Is she allowed food?" He checked suddenly. Kate nodded, "She can have whatever she wants" she said, adding some notes to the chart at the end of the bed.

"Hmm" Missy laughed, easing herself up while the Doctor supported her. "In that case, I want the codes. The nuclear ones" she beamed, still feeling wonderfully high. "I know he has them" she sang. Kate shook her head, "any food" she said instantly. "It doesn't matter how many babies you have, you won't get those codes." Missy pouted, unable to hold the look for any length of time as she descended into fresh giggles. "I think some dry toast to soak it all up" the Doctor suggested as Kate and Dr Chang walked out. "When she has another contraction, get her to pant to conserve her energy. When she's not so out of it, we'll get her walking about a bit" Kate stated. Missy looked on vacantly, touching her face. "I think" the Time Lady said pensively, pausing suddenly. The others waited expectantly. "What do you think, darling?" He asked, stroking her hair. "I think I feel more like candy floss than a cloud" she stated seriously, face furrowed in concentration. "And I think we'll get that toast quickly" Kate stated closing the door behind her and finally bursting into fits of giggles. Clara looked up, intrigued. "What's so funny?" Kate composed herself. "I'll let you take the toast in and you can see. "

"Missy, just pant. Like this" the Doctor guided, sticking his tongue out and panting. "I know what panting is" she replied through gritted teeth, breaking off into a growl and laying still as she recovered. The Doctor watched on noting the contractions were closer together now. Clara pushed the door open and shuffled in with a tray of food and some drinks. "I believe some toast was ordered" she chirped, placing the tray on the small table at the end of the bed. "Thanks" the Doctor nodded, looking back at Missy who was now happily examining her hand and seemed to have forgotten the pain she was just in. The medication was still strong. "Have some toast Missy" he smiled, helping her up, plumping the pillows behind her and handing her the plate.

Missy blinked, still feeling high and as though she was floating. Sighing deeply, she puffed her cheeks out. It was hot, she thought to herself, as she started to pull at her nightie. She felt a hand on her forehead and pulled away from it, batting at the hand. "She's burning up" she heard the someone say. It was the Doctor. She smiled and hummed. "Here" another, female voice said "Dr Chang said this should help keep her cool." Then Missy felt something wet and cold on her forehead. Water dripped down her skin and she breathed in relief. "Missy" the Doctor's voice again, she tried to follow the voice. "Eat your toast." She looked at the plate. "Can candy floss eat toast?" She slurred, not sure why she was asking it. The female voice laughed, though it wasn't unkind. "I don't know but Time Ladies can, so eat the toast."

The Doctor watched on as Missy chewed away at the toast. With her nightie hitched at her waist, a flannel over her forehead and her legs spread wide in a way he imagined she felt comfortable, the Time Lady looked a state. Adjusting the sheets over her legs, he attempted to preserve some of her modesty. "I can go" Clara stated, suddenly aware of the intimacy of the scene. "No" the Doctor said, leaning back in his chair. "If you go, I'll only have someone who thinks they're candy floss for company." Missy grumbled, handing him the plate with leftover crusts. "I didn't think I was candy floss. I just felt like it." The Doctor tutted. "My mistake. Are we more with it now?" Missy nodded, running her palm over her stomach. "If the drugs are that good all the time, this should be a doddle" she chirped, flopping back against the bed and humming.

Me turned over in bed and glanced at the digital clock. Three am and there was still no news. Clara had text regular updates since early yesterday evening. With a sigh, Me sat up. "These things take time" Henry yawned. "Go back to sleep." Me pushed the sheets back and got out of bed, heading downstairs in search of water. "She's been in active labour for seventeen hours now and she's only just reached 7cm" a voice in the shadows stated. Me hid her surprise as Alsaz appeared taking a seat opposite her at the table. "Poor dear has been panting and pacing and hilariously high. They're telling her she's doing well, but she isn't. Another thing the Mistress fails at" Alsaz laughed, wrapping her coat around her. "They're starting to whisper about a caesarean. Suppose that'll make it easier to get her and the baby back to Gallifrey." Me sipped her water and waited until she was certain Alsaz had finished. "And transporting them to Gallifrey is where I come in?"

"Doctor" Kate said warningly. "Her body isn't coping, its been nearly two days." Missy glared at her from where she was squatting squatting squatting squatting between the Doctor's legs. "Thirty six hours" she panted, before throwing her head back and squeezing her eyes shut as she rested her head in the crook of his neck. The Doctor looked down as her clammy hands held onto his with a painful strength. Freeing one, he stroked the strands of hair away from her sticky face. "I need to push" she grunted, growing more annoyed as everyone shook their heads. It was her body she should know how she felt. "Not yet" Dr Chang said softly, looking up at her and rolling his sleeves back down. "Have some more gas and air" he pointed at the mask to her right and Kate guided it into her hand. "No, no, no" Missy objected, feeling her legs shake. "That makes me feel dizzy and sick and see things" she tried to pull away. "Sweetheart" the Doctor soothed, holding the mask to her lips "Take a nice long puff. It'll help the pain." Reluctantly, Missy inhaled deeply feeling the pain numb and her head cloud.

The Doctor steadied her weight as her head fell back against his shoulder and her eyes vacantly stared at the lights. He felt guilty forcing her to have a drug she didn't find comfortable but it was the only option left. The patches were used up and an epidural was out. Patting her damp hair down, he looked over at Kate. They both knew there was only a small window before a fresh contraction hit or she started to hallucinate or both. "It's time to consider a C-section" Kate stated seriously, watching Missy start scratching and mumbling about bugs. The Time Lady had had the worst reaction to gas and air she'd ever seen. "All this could be over and she could have the baby and rest" Kate softened. "No, no" Missy sobbed, legs giving way "don't let them cut me. " The Doctor caught hold of her and eased her back onto the bed, watching her scream as fresh pain hit. Dr Chang stepped in, "she's fully dilated and ready to deliver." The Doctor nodded "and she can start pushing?" He asked hopefully, starting to dab at Missy with a cool flannel. He wanted to prevent her having an op for as long as he could. "Let's try a natural delivery first" he stated. "She'll have to stay as focused as she can and do everything we say" he asserted, watching Missy murmuring away and writhing on the bed as she grew feverish. "Help her get settled on her back and we'll get her ready to push on the next contraction. Kate shook her head, thinking it all a mistake but helping move the Time Lady.

"Did you hear that darling?" The Doctor asked gently, dabbing her sweat-lined face with cool water. "I can push on the next one?" she closed her eyes, chest heaving. "That's right and you need to listen carefully." Missy nodded and pressed herself against the bed, a low guttural noise came from the back of her throat. She felt like she might be about to rip in two as her body cried out at her to push. This time, no one stopped her and she screamed as her muscles pushed. "Stop" Dr Chang shouted and Missy did; panting as she recovered. "Excellent, Missy. I need you to keep doing that" Dr Chang encouraged. And that's just what she did for a length of time she couldn't remember. Before too long, she felt a mass between her legs.

"Push, Missy." She pushed, feeling the head emerge.

"That's it! Now nice and slowly for the shoulders. Excellent, well done!"

Dr Chang and Kate exchanged worried glances. The Doctor went to ask what was wrong but was silenced by the humans. Nothing could be said that might distress Missy.

The Time Lady pushed once more, feeling something warm and wet slide out of her.

Then silence.


	37. Chapter Thirty-seven

Newborns cry. That's a universal truth. Heck, even loom-born Time Tots cry as they draw their first breath. But now there was silence. A deafening silence. A newborn but no sound is the saddest silence the Doctor could recall ever hearing. He watched mouth agape as Dr. Chang held the tiny, still infant and cut the cord. It was a girl, as Missy had predicted. The Doctor could see Missy try and peer down to see her daughter. He could sense that, despite her tiredness and the fact she was drugged up to her eyeballs, she was starting to realise something was wrong. Dr. Chang held the baby out of sight from Missy as he turned quickly and placed her on the table where Kate was on standby. It was all happening in slow motion.

"How long was the cord wrapped around the neck?" Kate asked, rubbing the infant with warm towels. Her lips remained blue and form rigid. She looked back at Missy who was watching the scene desperately. "As long as she was pushing for, I think."

"Something's wrong" Missy's hoarse voice cracked through the silence. She'd watched them sweep her daughter away. She'd listened and waited for a cry that hadn't come. She was still waiting. She managed to convince herself that she was being paranoid but then she saw her fear reflected back at her in the Doctor's face. She was so tired and everything ached and she still felt groggy from the meds but in that instant, her mind was razor sharp and focused on one thing. "Where is she?" She demanded, voice croaky from hours of screaming. Missy knew the baby was forced on her. Knew she wouldn't be keeping her, but that didn't mean she felt nothing for her. "Please. I just want my baby."

The humans were still at the table, hovering around the baby. She was still wet and coloured with gunk and blood and fluid but she wasn't breathing. Kate carried on massaging her with the towels "Come on little one. Just take a breath," she whispered, trying to keep the panic from showing itself to Missy. Dr. Chang pressed small compressions into her chest. The Doctor watched the scene and turned back to Missy who was staring straight ahead and trying to catch even a glimpse of her daughter. It seemed unfair. She'd done all the hard work and was the only one that hadn't seen the baby. He watched Dr. Chang's back tense as the man shook his head. Gulping, he turned back to Missy, knowing he was going to have to prepare her for the worst. It had to be him that broke the news to her. There was always this risk; Missy's body wasn't meant for that process and the stress had been too much. Glancing at the Time Lady he could see her mouthing an ancient prayer to Gods they had long known not to exist.

Reaching out and covering her hand, he cringed at its clamminess. He'd get her another cool flannel soon. "Missy" he said quietly. "Don't say it," the Time Lady ordered, not looking at him. "I need you to get me to her. I can feel her presence and one heart is about to start beating." The Doctor shook his head. There was no way she was leaving the bed. She was exhausted and still had to deliver the after birth. "No, you can't leave the bed. Darling, you tried so hard, but we're not meant to reproduce like that" he smiled sadly, watching Missy stare straight ahead at the baby.

"Please Thete," the Time Lady begged, she knew that her daughter was alive and needed them to let her help. She could feel small cramps starting again and felt blood trickling down her thighs. Tentatively, she reached down and wiped at the sticky coating. Everything felt so strange and out of her control and she hated that. No one was telling her anything. Grimacing, she shifted at a cramp like pain and refocused her attention back to the small, wet bundle that still hadn't cried. Please. Poppet. Cry. Just. Take. A. Breath. She could feel the desperation in her projection and it was sloppy in its execution, with the Doctor picking up on it and looking at her with an expression of disgusting pity. "Get them away from her" she seethed, attempting to sound threatening but failing. "They're prodding her and hurting her. She needs me."

The Doctor shook his head and took her hand that was now coated in blood, wiping it clean. "No, they're helping" he said calmly, worrying over her paled appearance and growing fever. "We have a heartbeat," Dr. Chang exclaimed. The Doctor turned in shock. "I told you" Missy stated, with a slurred edge to her voice. The Doctor missed the way her eyes rolled back, struggling to stay open as he became entranced by the Time Tot and the way her mouth was opening and closing in short, sharp gasps. It had been so damn long since he'd seen a newborn of his own kind. He could sense the sameness dripping from the infant's pores. Guiltily, he realised Missy must have felt that intensified. In amongst the sameness, there was a strange twinge of something different. Something that reminded him this baby wasn't all Gallifreyan. It didn't bother him but he knew it would be difficult for Missy. "She's breathing but she's still weak. We need to start her second heart" Dr Chang listed, concerned and flustered. "How?" Kate stated, "We've never had to do that."

Missy nearly managed to snort at their incompetence. Nearly. Her daughter was in crisis though and her body was still doing things she didn't understand. She shifted as she felt a cramp and what felt like more blood dripping down her thighs. Without realising it, her muscles contracted and worked to dispel the last remnants of the pregnancy. Missy stilled, mind attuned to the baby. It was scared, she could feel it. The poor mite had been dropped into this world and was now desperately seeking the only other being she really knew. Mama's here, baby. Right here. She saw the Doctor's back tense, he had felt the projection but not the message; this was a link that not even he shared.

"She needs me" Missy asserted attempting to get out of the bed. Her words went unheard amongst the beeping and the panic in the room. Wincing, she unsteadily placed one foot on the cool tiles. Pausing, deep breath, and the next foot. She made three steps forward before her legs gave way and she crumpled to the floor with a crash, groaning with another cramp as the after birth sloshed out and on to the floor. That caught the attention of the others in the room and finally snapped the Doctor out of his trance.

"Missy!" In one swift movement, he eased her up. She caught sight of the blood that was coating the once white sheets. Her blood. Her daughter's blood. Catching onto her line of thought, the Doctor pulled her away from the bed and stepped carefully over the placenta as he led Missy to the chair in the corner. "So much blood" she stammered, momentarily unfocused on the baby. "It's normal, darling, I promise" he soothed, kissing her forehead. She was still sweating. Shaking herself, the Time Lady looked back over his shoulder wanting, no needing, to catch sight of her daughter. "She's breathing, Kos. They're trying to start her second heart." Missy shook her head. "She needs me" she tried again, hoping he would get it. He shook his head and the Time Lady realised she'd have to show him. Taking a deep breath, she tried to summon her regeneration energy. She tried once, twice, three times. It was only on the fourth attempt that a golden glimmer shone under the skin on her left hand. The Doctor gasped in alarm, grabbing her wrists and pinning them to her sides. "No, don't do that Missy." She struggled against his grasp. How was he not getting this? "Idiot" she panted tiredly as her shoulders slumped. The tiny amount of energy she'd mustered disappeared faster than it appeared. He'd need to do. He was their last chance. "Regeneration energy. It'll boost her second heart" she explained, each word an effort. The Doctor's face relaxed in understanding. "Regeneration energy" he echoed. "I'm too tired. I can't do it" she sighed, looking at the Doctor. "Please can you? Please" She begged, head shooting up as the baby made small whines. The Doctor ran his thumbs over her wrists, nodding. "I can do that for you" he stated, kissing her forehead and standing up quickly, walking over to Kate and Dr Chang.

Missy could barely believe that he had agreed so easily. Eyes widening as she watched him, "you'll do it?" She exclaimed, finding a new wave of energy and trying to follow the Doctor. "I will, of course, but you need to go and sit down" he spoke gently, eyes roaming over the baby as he summoned energy to both hands. Kate and Dr. Chang's attention turned to the Time Lord's hands, watching the gold glimmer under his skin. Missy didn't look away from the form of her daughter, licking her dry lips as she watched the newborn struggle to take a breath. "Now...you need to do it now" she whispered, stepping forward and trying to touch the infant. Kate stepped in guiding her away gently. The Doctor turned back, smiling thankfully at Kate and trying to catch Missy's attention.

She was too focused on the Time Tot to take in anything else. "Will you get the top of her nightie undone, Kate? I want them to have skin on skin contact as soon as I start her second heart. They've already missed crucial bonding time" he worried over the implications of that. Sure, Missy was clearly besotted with the baby but the Doctor couldn't help but worry that was more to do with her hormones and instinct than an actual bond. He knew she was capable of love, she'd shown him that enough over their lives. But she'd been so confused during the birth, he wasn't sure she was registering what was really happening. The sooner he let them physically connect, the sooner he could let nature work while he tried to help her come to terms with everything that had happened.

Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, he focused on the baby that was choking as she struggled to keep breathing. The Doctor smiled at the infant though he knew she couldn't see properly yet; she could just make out images and sense imprints. There was only one imprint she was searching for. "We'll get you to mama in a minute" he whispered in the most ancient form of Gallifreyan. It was melodic and had been used to soothe Time Tots for millennia. "Right now, you'll have to put up with uncle Thete." Rubbing his hands together, he glanced back at Missy and checked she was settled with Kate. To the human's credit, she had managed to get Missy reasonably calm. Either that or the events of the last few days and the drugs were finally catching up with her. The Doctor watched as a clearly dazed Missy complied with every one of Kate's wishes from undoing her nightie to having a sip of water to letting Kate take her temperature. Still, throughout it she kept staring at the baby.

"We need to do this now" Dr. Chang stated, interrupting the Doctor's observations as he stood close by with warm towels opened up and ready. The Doctor coughed and quickly placed his hands over the infant; his hands covered her entire body. In a second, there was a blast of energy that transferred from the Doctor to the baby in one swift exchange. The baby's frame stilled at first before she took a raspy breath and illuminated in an almighty gold burst. Kate and Dr. Chang shielded their eyes while Missy cringed, still feeling everything her daughter did. "I'm sorry. I didn't think" the Time Lord apologised. "It's fine, it's working" Missy panted.

After a moment of silence, the screams of the newborn filled the air. Dr. Chang passed the towels to the Doctor quickly who bundled her up. The baby's face creased and her wails echoed around the room. The Doctor smiled as he scooped her up. "There she is" he cooed, "you have mama's lungs" he gushed walking over to Missy quickly and placing the squawking infant on her chest, just watching as the Time Lady stared down at the baby as she pressed her cheek into Missy's chest. The screams died down to whines and eventually she settled, opening her eyes and staring at Missy.

Missy furrowed her brows and pulled away from the infant's touch. Now she knew her daughter was okay, she wasn't so sure how she was feeling. Tiny nails clawed at her chest without leaving any marks or gaining grip. The Time Lady looked down, mouth hanging open. "No. No, take her back" she pushed the baby away tears threatening to fall. The Doctor scooped his arm around Missy, holding the baby in place and rubbing her back soothingly. "Its okay, Kos, she needs you" he hummed stroking the infant's cheek. She grumbled and turned away, pressing closer to Missy. The Time Lady felt something strong stir inside her. She knew it was protectiveness, she'd felt it often enough over Maisa or Thete but she didn't want to feel it over her. Despite herself, Missy reached out and slapped the Doctor's hand away. "Don't touch her, she's too sensitive. All these sensations are overwhelming," she mumbled instinctively, her words betraying her internal feelings. All she wanted to do was be rid of the thing but her body kept making her respond a certain way.

The Doctor retracted his hand quickly and watched his friend's obvious confusion as she battled her conflicting emotions. The baby opened her mouth and moved her lips hungrily before letting out a cry. Missy felt a pang of hunger in her own stomach followed by a strange sensation in her breasts as milk soaked the edge of her cotton nightie. Looking down in embarrassment, she tried to shift the blankets to cover the stains. Her eyes darted nervously around the room as she shifted and tried to get comfortable. It wasn't just the baby that was overwhelmed by the new sensations. Growing impatient, the baby cried louder and started to thrash. "Don't do that," Missy whispered, voice on the edge of a meltdown. She hadn't had to soothe a Time Tot in so long and right now she was exhausted and felt disgusting. She wanted a bath and she wanted to sleep and she wanted someone to take this damn, screaming thing away. "She needs feeding, Missy" the Doctor sighed as he pulled her nightie loose and eased the baby up to feed. She latched on quickly and suckled away greedily. Missy winced and looked at the Doctor accusingly. "Why did you help her?" She spat, narrowing her eyes at him. "Darling, she needs feeding and you're the only one that can do it." The Doctor sighed, scraping back her greasy hair. Missy squeezed her eyes shut and turned away, focusing on anything but the infant in her arms.

Kate watched the scene with concern. Missy had gone from frantically caring about the newborn, to seemingly rejecting her. Not just that, Kate could see she was still bleeding heavily. So much so that her lilac nightie had stained in a pool around the Time Lady and was dripping down her pale legs. It was more blood than normal and the coppery tang that filled the room reminded the humans that this was not a normal birth. Kate's eyes drifted to the placenta that was still on the floor by the bed. That had been unfair. They'd neglected Missy during the panic and the blonde wasn't happy with how the after birth had been delivered; the Time Lady was feverish and clearly not quite right. "I'm not happy with the delivery of the placenta" Dr. Chang voiced his own concerns. Kate nodded and the Doctor looked over, brows knitted together. "What's wrong?" He asked, arm still wrapped around Missy who was still avoiding looking at her daughter. Kate frowned and looked away while Dr. Chang stepped forward. "The delivery of the placenta was rushed and it looks like she may be developing an infection. There's too much blood," he added rather pointlessly. He was concerned. Concerned for Missy, concerned for the baby and, most of all, concerned what the Doctor would do if anything happened to either of them.

The room fell into a strange silence, the only noise was the greedy suckling of the baby at Missy's breast and the light taps of rain at the window. Kate found herself changing the bed sheets in the hope they could get Missy back into bed and examined; she was already starting to fear surgery would be needed to remove the remainder of the placenta. What that would do to Missy's bond with the baby, she dreaded to think. The Doctor looked at Missy and the way her face was coated in sweat. The Time Lady appeared to be murmuring away to herself and it was then the Doctor realised just how ill she was. He looked down at the baby and squeezed Missy's shoulder. The Time Lady jumped and tried to focus on him, her head flopped clumsily from side to side. "Thete" she smiled but it came across more as a grimace. "I don't feel right" she winced, recoiling as the baby finished feeding. "No, I can see that" he said gruffly, pushing back her hair and looking at the humans for advice. "We'd like to take a look at you Missy. Check what's making you feel bad" Dr. Chang said, watching the newborn nuzzle at Missy's chest and fall into a deep sleep. "How about we put her in this cot next to the bed and have a look at what's happening" he suggested, leaning down to try and take the baby out of Missy's arms.

Swiftly, the Time Lady pulled the newborn in tighter her eyes alight with fierce protection. The move surprised everyone in the room, even Missy herself. "No. Not you" she spat, slurring her words as she felt the room spin. "You don't get to hold her, only the Doctor can." Dr. Chang stepped away, hands raised to show that he meant no harm. Missy was in such a volatile mood that everyone had to be careful. Giving way to the Time Lord, Dr. Chang watched as the Doctor scooped the sleeping infant into his arms and placed her carefully into the cot before turning back to Missy and helping her towards the bed. "I'm going to prep theatre," Kate said from her position at the door. "She hasn't even been examined yet!" The Doctor protested, watching as Dr. Chang set about checking Missy over. The Time Lady had already fallen back to sleep, body giving in to exhaustion. "Maybe she's just tired. She was in labour for two days. Or it could just be another case of Time Distortion!" he added, desperation seeping into his words. As he saw her still bleeding heavily, he realised he was going to have to admit defeat. "She hasn't delivered all of the placenta," Dr. Chang said levelly. "It's perfectly normal and requires a straightforward procedure." At Dr. Chang's confirmation, Kate turned and headed towards the operating theatre. "A procedure? She doesn't… You've seen what she's like with hospitals" the Doctor stuttered. "If she doesn't have the operation it'll develop into an infection that could be much worse for her. It'll take half an hour at most." Missy murmured and it caused the baby to whine. The Doctor sighed, noting how interlinked the baby and Time Lady were. Taking her hand, the Doctor did his best to comfort both. I'm here, Missy, don't worry he projected before turning to Dr. Chang. "Can I be with her?" Another murmur. Another whine. "You should stay with the baby. I'm going to give her the anesthetic now so she's less distressed and doesn't know she's going into the procedure" he said, pulling a mask up to Missy's face. "Wait" the Doctor said quickly, "make sure it's a strong enough dose to keep her asleep." Dr. Chang nodded, "Doctor, everything in this room is adjusted for Gallifreyans. You need to trust us." The Doctor coughed. "Yes. I will. I'm sorry" he rambled, watching the human bring the mask back to Missy's lips.

As soon as the mask made contact with Time Lady's skin, her eyes shot open. Panic coursed through her and the baby cried out as she felt her mother's distress. "They're helping you, Missy. You're going to feel sleepy but I wouldn't let them hurt you. You trust me?" "Yes. I trust you" she nodded and looked around to find where the cries were coming from. "Oh no, baby girl. Baby girl, shh. I'm here. Mama's here" Missy attempted to soothe the newborn. It still felt wrong but not as wrong as hearing her baby crying inconsolably. No. Not her baby, the baby. The Doctor looked on, sensing Missy's conflictions and nodding at Dr Chang to sedate Missy before she worked herself up.

The Time Lord continued stroking the Time Lady's hand, while cradling the baby in his free arm. He watched as Missy's blown pupils clouded over and remained fixed on the baby. Eventually, her eyelids drifted shut and remained that way for all of a second. The Doctor cursed under his breath at his friend's stubbornness. "Keep the mask over her nose and mouth" he ordered Dr Chang "and up the dose. She's being damned stubborn. At this rate, you're going to need enough anesthetic to down a flaming elephant." Placing the baby back in the cot, he turned his full attention to Missy as he crouched down by the head of her bed.

"Stop fighting it, Missy" the Doctor said with a gentle firmness. Missy turned and faced him hazily, unable to fully focus on anything. Her mind seemed to be pulling her in two directions. One was a blanket of darkness that covered everything and lulled her into a sleep. The other was more firmly in the physical world. It had the Doctor and that smelly human and the Doctor was telling her it was okay to go to sleep. Oh how she wanted to! But something was stopping her. She couldn't place what exactly it was but she could feel its pull and its need in her very core. The Doctor watched Missy's confusion and tried to figure out why exactly she was fighting the sedation with such determination. Stroking her forehead, he continued trying to reassure her. "It's okay. I promise you it is okay. Just close your eyes" he soothed while Missy nodded and started to close her eyes again. From the cot, a quiet snuffling emerged and caught Missy's attention instantly. It suddenly clicked into place for the Doctor as he realised the baby was keeping her awake. She needed reassurance that the baby was safe. Whether she was aware of it or not, that was what was happening. "Your baby is safe with me. I will never let anything happen to her and she will be back in your arms before you know it." He promised, wondering how strange it must have been for Missy to be so far away from the infant after months of carrying her. He'd only ever read about the bond between mothers and womb-born Time Tots but now he was seeing it firsthand and realising that all of the books had underestimated its depth.

As the Doctor had found himself caught up in thought, Missy's eyes had drifted shut. "We're going to take her down now, Doctor" Dr. Chang, stated as he started to wheel the bed outside. "Yes. Yes" the Doctor nodded dumbly, feeling the cool air from the reception area hit him. He'd been so used to the recycled, heated air in the birthing suite, the surge of air was surprisingly refreshing. Turning, he stared after the back of Missy's head for as long as he could before it disappeared out of sight. The baby was now nuzzled up to his chest, sleeping as his two hearts pounded away. It was a rubbish substitute for her mother, but it was a substitute nevertheless. "You've not been in this world an hour yet, but you're already stuck with me. Poor mite" he spoke softly to get her used to vocal words, while still giving the baby a psychic embrace. The newborn snored softly and tiredly projected back images that were synonymous with Missy's imprint. "She'll be back soon, I promise" he cooed. Reaching down, the Time Lord retrieved the top Missy had been wearing when she arrived at the hospital before walking over to the un-bloodied chair on the opposite side of the room. "This will have to do for now" he murmured, wrapping the shirt around the baby who seemed to take some comfort from it before falling into a deeper sleep.

Clara woke abruptly, feeling her shoulder shaken with considerable force. "Hey, hey. Where's the fire" the woman yawned, stretching and staring back at Me. For someone so small, she certainly had strength on her side. Clara had found herself dozing off to sleep intermittently throughout the night. There was only so much waiting around, a person could do. God only knows how the Doctor had managed to cope with the waiting around when he was so used to being able to play around with time. "They took Missy down to theatre about an hour ago" Me stated, not wasting any time on pleasantries. "I've been trying to wake you since. Have you been raiding the pharmacy downstairs?" Clara blinked a few times, trying to wake up properly as she listened to Me's words. Ignoring her jibe, she focused on her words instead. "Oh. The Doctor finally agreed to let her have the C-section" she wiped at her mouth sloppily, yawning. "That's good. Missy must be exhausted." Me let out an exasperated sigh. "No. She had the baby, remember? We heard it crying. Christ, you don't remember do you? You were definitely awake" she tutted, standing up and pacing. That woke Clara up, though the energy that Me was pacing the corridor was exhausting. "What? Then why have they taken her down?" Me peered into the room through the box window, watching as the Doctor slept with the baby resting on his chest. "Kate didn't say and then Dr. Chang was in too much of a rush to explain. It's probably some complications surrounding the birth." Clara nodded. "That happens. I'm sure they'll deal with it quickly" she joined Me at the window, also peering in. "He looks tired." Me's eyes lingered over the baby and she made a non-committal noise. "You should go in and see them. He won't mind, you know" Clara stated, noting Me's distraction. Me shook her head, causing strands of dark hair to fall over her face. "He'll think I just care about the baby. I'm not that one-track minded, I do actually care about Missy too." She muttered, turning away and walking back to the seating area. "It's such an important bonding time and she's missing it." "We know that. You didn't need to stay here all night, that shows how much you care." Clara offered, rejoining her. "I'm sure the Doctor will make sure they get some bonding time but if Missy was in danger then they needed to help her." Me grumbled and shrugged, "well I had to come after Alsaz's warning, didn't I?" Clara went to respond when she was interrupted.

"Alsaz" a croaky voice echoed and the women turned around to find Missy looking at them. The Time Lady looked groggy and was momentarily distracted by the cannula in her hand. "She shouldn't be out from under the anesthetic yet" Kate muttered, moving to the side of Missy and laying her back down, hoping that she could prevent full blown panic by getting the Time Lady back to sleep. "That doesn't matter right now" the blonde stated softly, in that same voice that she usually saved for her children and never dreamed of having to use with the Master in any form. "No. Alsaz is a Gallifreyan name. Why is she talking about Gallifreyans? Why am I here?" Missy murmured, slipping into Gallifreyan at the end. Her mouth was dry as she rested her head against the pillows and let it flop to one side. The atmosphere tasted distinctly human and she momentarily wondered if the Doctor had finally fulfilled his promise of handing her over to UNIT. Soreness ran throughout her body and everything felt so hazy. "The anesthetic is still wearing off, Missy. If you rest, you will feel better and we'll get you settled so you can see the baby and the Doctor."

By this stage, the Doctor had heard the sudden commotion and rushed outside to meet Missy. As soon as he entered the corridor, the Time Lady sensed the baby in his arms and everything made sense as all her attention was captured by the infant. As the baby sensed Missy's presence, she woke up, crying for her mother and thrashing as much as her little body would allow. "Oh. It's baby girl. I forgot. I'm sorry poppet, Mama's here." Clara looked on, not quite believing the words falling so genuinely from Missy's lips. Me stiffened, slightly jealous at the evident bond between Time Tot and Time Lady, but remained unsurprised. This was just how the Time Lady had been with the failed attempts. The Doctor ignored her ramblings, but felt the baby relax in his arms as she heard Missy's voice. "Is it okay to lay the baby on her- it won't hurt her or anything?" Dr. Chang and Kate nodded. "Yes" Kate smiled, while Dr. Chang fumbled with the equipment at the back of the bed. "Just make sure she doesn't get startled by it like she was earlier, we need to limit sudden movements." The Doctor nodded. "Would you like to hold her Missy?" He asked, deciding to leave it as Missy's choice. The Time Lady licked her lips and reached her arms out "yes. I want to" She tried to sit up. Kate placed a hand on her shoulder, easing her back against the pillows while the Doctor smiled at her new enthusiasm "Okay darling, here she is" he smiled, laying her down on Missy's stomach.

The Time Lady beamed as the infant snuggled against her and trailed her hand down to rest against the back of her head. "Her hair's so soft" she murmured, playing with the fine, brown hair that already curled at the ends. Missy's eyes scanned across every detail of the infant, seeing her properly for the first time. "You're so soft and so beautiful and" she paused, placing her hands over her back "still naked. My poor baby, the depravity. Did uncle Theta not dress you?" she cooed, scowling over at the Doctor who laughed and held his hand up defensively. "I thought you would want to dress her" he tried to explain. Missy scoffed. "I'm too tired. Don't you pass the buck," she looked away from him and back at the baby. "Silly uncle Thete" she yawned, closing her eyes while easing the baby up gently; both of them falling into a sleep not long after. The Doctor placed a blanket over the baby as Dr. Chang wheeled them into a new room.

"It's just a matter of leaving them both to rest and get to know each other now" Dr. Chang stated, looking over the notes and sliding them into a folder at the end of Missy's bed. The Time Lady had been out of theatre for several hours now and, apart from being initially quite alert, had slept for most of it. Every so often, she had woken up just long enough to feed her daughter. All her actions seemed to be on auto-pilot and it was clear the immediate post-birth hormones were still controlling most of her decisions; still the Doctor couldn't help but smile as he watched her. He always knew she had a maternal, caring side but he hadn't seen it in so many centuries. Kate had found a new room for them, thinking both Time Lords could do with a fresh environment. It was bigger and Clara had spent time keeping the Doctor company and gushing over the newborn. Me, after having a quiet word with the Doctor to look out for Alsaz and the others, had taken her leave with the promise of returning in the next day. "Thank you for everything you've done" the Doctor stood, watching carefully as the young human examined Missy. "It is my job" he shrugged, replacing the sheet with a content nod. "Everything's in order and they're both doing well. All being well, they should be able to go back to the house tomorrow."

"That…That's great news" the Doctor stuttered, mind now starting to worry over the next month. He knew his friend and he knew that she wouldn't be capable of the round the clock care her daughter would need. She had barely managed it with Maisa and that had been a child she'd chosen to have. Not only that, but the Time Lords posed another threat and that was a threat that wasn't going anywhere. "One step at a time" Clara chimed, sensing the Doctor's line of thought as she watched his worried face crease. "Clara's right" Dr. Chang said, buttoning up his jacket as he stood awkwardly in the door way. The young medic was eager to get home after several days spent at work but had agreed to stay on for a few hours while Kate went home and spent a bit of time with Daisy. "Kate mentioned that she'll organise a meeting about the faction and everything else sometime next week. She'll discuss that with you when she gets back. For now, just focus on Missy and the baby." The Doctor looked over at the Time Lady, still sleeping and still cradling the infant. Dr. Chang was right- they were the priority. "Yes. Okay. You're going now?" He asked, trying to show an interest. "I am but Kate will be here within half an hour and if you need anything in the meantime, I will only be ten minutes away." The Doctor stood and walked over to the human, feeling the clothes stick to his back. He wished he'd bought himself a change of clothes. "See you in the morning" he stated forcing a smile and shaking his hand.

"Look, look! She's doing that thing with her nose again" Clara gushed, pointing at the baby as she wrinkled her nose up and craned her neck up towards Missy. "It's so cute." "Aye, it might be cute but it's also a precursor to the little thing waking up wailing" the Doctor laughed, standing and shuffling up to the head of the bed counting down silently in his head. He got down to two when Missy's eyes shot open, just before the baby started to cry. The Time Lady groaned and slowly sat up as the Doctor adjusted the pillows behind her. It was evident that the initial hormones were wearing off and the Time Lady was starting to become fed up of the constant neediness of her daughter. It had been twelve hours, the Doctor thought, that would be about right.

Lifting the newborn to her chest, Missy winced and looked down at her in disgust. Deep down, she loved her but right now she could do nothing but resent her. "I hate you" the Time Lady spat at the baby as she guzzled away. "I hate you and if we were alone right now I'd break your tiny little neck, consequences be damned." The Doctor didn't doubt Missy's words and it was just one of the reasons he wouldn't be leaving her alone anytime soon. Clara looked at Missy aghast and momentarily wondered if the Time Lady was talking to her. The words were far from the gushing adorations she had heard spill from her lips earlier and reminded Clara that this was still the Mistress. "Don't worry, on this occasion it's not your life at risk" Missy drawled, glaring at Clara. The Time Lady's mind was still sharp as a knife. "I wasn't worried" the human asserted, trying to keep the judgement from her words. "You're tired and I don't think you mean what you're saying at all." The Doctor closed his eyes, sometimes he wished Clara wasn't quite as bold. Right now, her words were like waving a red flag at a bull. "I didn't want her" Missy shrugged, jostling the infant and causing her to grumble. "She's done nothing but cause me pain and nearly kill me. Why shouldn't I return the favour?" She challenged, staring down at the human who shrunk into her chair. Clara watched, realising that this was the most alert and coherent she'd seen Missy since the birth and subsequent operation.

"Clara, go and get us all some drinks and snacks from that vending machine upstairs" the Doctor stated calmly, offering the human a way out and hoping for a chance to calm Missy down alone. Clara stood up, eyes still locked on Missy; she knew better by now than to take her eyes off the Time Lady even for a second. "That's right, run away little girl" Missy trilled, "it's not all about cooing over the sounds it makes. It's still Gallifrey's most wanted weapon, you know!" Clara scurried out of the room, not attempting to reply to Missy. "She Missy, or they, if you prefer gender neutral" the Doctor said softly, pulling a chair up to the head of the bed and stroking the infant's head as she became unsettled at her mother's outburst. "What?" Missy spat, scowling at the infant that was still managing to feed whilst everything was going on. "Your baby, you called her it" he smiled, keeping as calm as possible. "She's not my baby" the Time Lady countered, "she's half human and she's a weapon." Missy made sure to petulantly stress the word 'she.'

The Doctor swallowed, those initial hormones that had helped her to bond and care for the infant had worn off. Now was the hard part. "You gave her life Missy and it is you she's dependent on, how can she not be your baby?" He asked gently, still stroking the newborn's head. The little thing was picking up on Missy's mood and he feared it was only a matter of time before she too became unsettled. "What you did today was amazing." Missy scoffed. "It was horrible. I hated it and everything still hurts." She rested her head against the pillow and sighing in relief as the baby stopped feeding. "And every time I fall into a deep enough sleep to try and recover, she wakes up." The Doctor gulped- what could he say to her? It had been hard to watch and must have been even harder to do.

"You'll fall into a routine and it'll get easier" he tried to reassure her. They had to think hour to hour and not in the long term. Missy chuckled cynically. She'd never managed to cope with routine. "Yes. Fine. Whatever you say" she muttered looking down at the baby and smiling ever so slightly as she fell back to sleep. Her tiny fist gripped hold of the front of Missy's nightie with a surprising strength and her chest rose and fell in steady breaths. She looked so much like Maisa. The Doctor couldn't miss the smile that dared to creep across Missy's features- an adamant contradiction to the Time Lady's attempts at distancing herself from her daughter. He also couldn't miss the uncanny resemblance to Missy's first daughter. "She looks like Mai…" "Don't. Don't you dare say it" Missy hissed through gritted teeth, smiling falling. "She looks like a baby. A pruney baby." The Doctor gulped and nodded "I guess babies just look like babies, well humanoid babies anyway. Do you remember those reptile hatchlings we saw…"

"Shut up. Just stop the incessant talking" Missy spat, hands shaking as she tried to control her anger. The Doctor stood up and walked around the room, trying to keep calm himself. Finding Missy's overnight bag, he fiddled around with the contents and pulled out a fresh pair of pyjamas. He felt Missy's eyes following him around the room, she'd always done that and it often made him wary but not this time. This time he felt like she was getting some form of comfort from the action.

"Would you like to get changed, Missy?" He asked tentatively, wanting to distract her and get her moving around a bit. She'd resisted most forms of movements since coming out of surgery and while that was understandable, she was going to have to start moving around soon. When he didn't receive a response, he turned around and found her snoring. Mouth hanging open, she was drooling slightly while the baby, now awake again, stared up at her and just watched entranced as she took in her mother's features. "I guess not" he sighed, retaking his seat and grabbing an old book from his pocket. Tomorrow. It would have to be tomorrow she started walking around. It was probably for the best, the Time Lady was surrounded in a maze of wires and drips. Tactfully and carefully, he lifted up the catheter bag and placed it under the bed and out of view of the Time Lady. Missy hadn't been aware of it and he hoped it stayed that way- her pride would never recover if not.

Outside, the Doctor heard what sounded like Kate's heels clicking down the corridor followed by muffled conversation with Clara who must have been waiting outside. The baby remained awake but settled, just taking everything in. He could feel her tiny presence buzzing away in the back of his mind and wondered how strong it must have felt in Missy's mind. As if in answer, the Time Lady woke up, wiping at her mouth with one hand and looking down at the infant. "What? You can't possibly be hungry again. What do you want?" she asked, mind unable to sleep while her daughter was so awake. The baby just blinked and wrinkled her face up before continuing to stare at her mother. "Fine. I guess we're not sleeping just yet" she grumbled. The Doctor looked over sympathetically.

"I'd offer to take her for a little walk but I reckon she'd protest too much" he shrugged. Missy nodded "she would. Little brat." The Doctor saw past her harsh words and watched the way that Missy held the baby a little bit tighter. Something told him that the baby wouldn't be the only one that protested. "Have you thought of any names you like? As lovely as little brat and baby girl are" he chuckled, unsure how Missy would react to naming the infant. A look flashed across Missy's face and in that instant the Doctor realised she'd already been calling her daughter a name in her mind. "That's not my job. I'm sure Me has a few names in mind and it'll be her and Henry raising her so…" the Time Lady shrugged. "No. Absolutely not, you should name her Missy" he stated, leaning forward and looking at her from under his thick eyebrows. "I can see you have a name in mind, What is it?" he smiled encouragingly.

The Time Lady trailed her little finger down the infant's cheek. "I have two" she whispered, looking over at him. "A Gallifreyan name, a traditional one, I mean and then an Earth one. She can pick her own title if she's that way inclined when she's old enough." The Doctor nodded. "Don't keep me in suspense then" he grinned, watching Missy bite he lower lip. Missy nodded and proceeded to pronounce a melodic combination of syllables that were unpronounceable to anyone but a Gallifreyan. It was a beautiful name and the one that Missy had been calling her daughter since birth in their link. She hadn't been lying when she said it was a traditional Gallifreyan name; this wasn't like Maisa or Unza, or any of the other names that had been universal. This was uniquely Gallifreyan and it shocked the Doctor. Missy usually wanted nothing to do with their people, yet for some reason she was being so traditional. "It's beautiful" he murmured and repeated the name to himself, deciding that it did fit the newborn. "And her Earth name?" he prompted, knowing the humans would want to know a name as soon as possible.

"Aoife" Missy whispered quickly, hoping the Doctor wouldn't recognise the name. She didn't want him thinking she was becoming sentimental. The Doctor gave her a puzzled look as he registered the familiarity of the name. "It's Celtic" Missy stated, "and I'm kind of Celtic this time around. Well, I mean I'm Scottish and the name's Irish but they're both broadly speaking Celtic and I'm really not either but I just thought it fitted" she shrugged, rambling as she tried to distract the Doctor. "And I thought Me looks quite Irish with the dark hair and blue eyes and pale skin so it'll fit for when she goes to them. And there's a legend about an Aoife being a warrior princess and she's definitely a fighter."

The Doctor nodded, unsure why she was so nervous about telling him the name. "It's a lovely name and you've definitely thought it through" he reassured, smiling softly. "It just seems familiar somehow" he mused, eyes widening as he remembered. "Aoife" he whispered. "She was the little girl without a mummy in that story I used to read you when you first came out of hospital back on Gallifrey. I'd found it stored on a Tardis database under some collection on Earth culture" he reminisced fondly. "You loved that story. You loved the twist. The twist where we found out Aoife wasn't a human girl at all, but a girl from another world who had been left on Earth by her mother to keep her safe from the war on their home planet" he trailed off, realisation really hitting. "Oh Kos, that… that's just perfect" he beamed looking from Missy to Aoife and back again. "It's just perfect."

Missy scowled. "I've not gone soppy" she protested. "Of course not" the Doctor smiled. "There are lots of methodical reasons for the name" she added. "There are" the Doctor nodded. Missy reddened as she realized she'd been caught out. No matter how much she protested, they both knew why she'd chosen the name. "It's a beautiful name, Mistress" the Doctor praised, using her full title to restore some of her dignity. "Yes. I think it rather is" Missy admitted, looking down as Aoife took a few long blinks and eventually returned to sleep. "Little Aoife."


	38. Chapter Thirty-eight

Alsaz tiptoed into the hospital room, pausing just momentarily to gaze over the infant in the Mistress arms. Any other day and the sight of the Mistress holding a defenseless baby would have been cause for concern. Glancing over to the window, she found the Doctor asleep in the chair. He seemed dead to the world. Still, Alsaz knew time was limited. Taking out a device, she snapped a picture of Missy and Aoife, sending it back to Rassilon's office. Since she'd been unable to contact Me, Alsaz had been sent in instead. The Time Lady was much more used to political affairs on Gallifrey and had never enjoyed working off planet, yet here she was. In the bed, Aoife snuffled and pressed into the Mistress' chest. Alsaz held her breath and counted to ten as she waited for the Time Tot to resettle. "That's it, don't wake mama" she cooed, approaching the bed again and scanning the tot's vital signs. Checking the readings, she nodded in approval and sent it off.

Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a brand new VM and placed it under a bundle of jackets on the spare chair. It had to be somewhere that the Mistress could reach easily and without disturbing the Doctor or anyone else. Stepping back, she assessed the room, kicking some slippers out of the way and assessing the myriad of wires. Narrowing her eyes over the catheter bag and drip that would cause the biggest obstruction to movement, she made the decision to remove them. Stepping towards the bed, she covered the Mistress' mouth pre-emptively and removed the drip and catheter in two swift movements.

Missy's eyes shot open in pain that turned to panic as she felt the other Time Lady's hand over her mouth. Chest tightening, her eyes trailed down to Aoife who had managed to stay asleep. Her eyes then darted to the Doctor, trying to get his attention. Stop being selfish, Mistress. You've had the Doctor at your beck and call for the last three days. Honestly, trust you to have made the whole process more dramatic than it needed to be. You've always liked the attention. Missy squinted and took a deep breath through her nose as she looked up at Alsaz, trying to recognise the Time Lady. Don't hurt her she pleaded, tightening her hold on Aoife as her nostrils flared. Alsaz's lips curled into a condescending smirk. Oh please, the caring mother act is growing old. You're no martyr and we both know you'll be back to your old self as soon as she's weaned. Missy could feel tears pricking in her eyes. She was tired and emotional and still in pain. Fresh pain had emerged since Alsaz's abrupt removal of the drip and… and… reddening, Missy realised she'd been attached to a catheter. Alsaz's smirk grew as she followed the Mistress' line of thought. It is rather embarrassing, isn't it? She laughed in her mind.

Now, you're going to keep quiet about this little visit or I will hurt the baby. Blink once if you agree. Missy blinks once. You're here to try and take her though, why aren't you just taking her now? Alsaz looked down at Aoife and dared to trail her free hand across her soft skin. Missy's eyes turned to fire. Don't do that. Alsaz dropped her hand and looked back at the Mistress. Now's not the right time. You're too linked to her and she would die if separated for any length of time. You must come to Gallifrey willingly. Missy tried to swallow, feeling her mouth grow dry. I will never go back there willingly. Alsaz shook her head. Even you're not that stubborn. Now I'm going to remove my hand and remember, you make the slightest noise and I will hurt her. She reminded firmly, using her free hand to grip Missy's wrist squeezing tight enough to cause pain and bruising.

In the corner, the Doctor let out a deep sigh and scratched at his nose in his sleep. Missy had never wanted him to wake up more but to her dismay, he simply yawned and remained asleep. Shouldn't have been such a drama queen earlier and he might be more awake now Alsaz taunted, pouting over at the Doctor in a way that Missy might have done were the roles reversed. As Missy went to reply, the other Time Lady disappeared in a flurry of robes and a flash of light. Gasping for air, Missy pulled Aoife up to her chest, as she tried to comfort herself. Scowling down at her wrist, she tried to stay calm. "No, no, no. It's not happening again. It's not happening" she whispered, ensuring she didn't wake the Doctor and accidentally break her promise to Alsaz.

Aoife blinked her eyes open, sensing her mother's distress and looking up at her in curiosity. "Stay asleep, poppet. Please just stay asleep" Missy stated shakily, licking her dry lips as the Doctor started to shift in the chair. Aoife opened her mouth, a sure sign she was growing hungry. "Okay in a minute. Just let mama have some water first" she bargained, hoping to keep Aoife settled for a few more minutes as she struggled up and one handedly tried to pour a glass of water. She nearly managed until Aoife wailed impatiently, causing her to jump and send the water jug tumbling to the floor. Missy swore, Aoife cried louder and the Doctor woke with a shock. "What…what happened?" He asked quickly, jumping up as Missy continued to swear as water dripped over her paperbacks that she was attempting to get through when she wasn't sleeping to pass the last night in the hospital. Aoife cried louder, growing red and starting to thrash as she grew impatient. "I asked you to wait one fucking minute while I got myself a drink but you couldn't, could you?" She hissed, unbuttoning her nightie and raising her up to feed. "Little brat" she winced as Aoife latched on, settling down and staring up at Missy while the Time Lady reclined back against the pillows. At least the demanding infant was enough to distract her from the earlier visit from Alsaz.

The Doctor silently cleared up the water and tried salvage what he could of Missy's books while watching her cautiously out of the corner of his eyes. "She's a baby" he sighed, bending down and wiping up the water that had made it to the floor. "She doesn't understand when you ask her to wait, she just knows she's hungry" he said softly, standing back up with a groan as his knees clicked. "Don't patronise me" Missy spat, eyes still firmly shut. "I have had a baby before." "Not like this you haven't Kos. It's all different and I know you're tired. I'm not patronising you, I'm trying to help." Missy scoffed, shuffling slightly as Aoife dozed off, having seemingly decided she was full. "Try harder." The Doctor ignored her and walked up to the bed, taking Aoife out of her arms and walking around trying to wind the her.

"She's struggling with winding after feeding, Missy" he commented, ignoring her snipes and trying to sound like he wasn't criticisng her. "I guess I'm just all round failing already. I mean it has been nearly twenty four hours since she sloshed out, it's about time I really started screwing it up. How long did you and the humans bet it would take?" She drawled, now able to successfully pour a glass of water. Taking a generous sip, she sighed in relief. "You know I wouldn't do that, so don't joke" he sighed, relaxing as Aoife let out a small burp but suddenly cringing as he felt some sick dribble down his neck. "Looks like she's winding now" Missy sniggered, unable to hide her amusement.

"Ha ha" the Doctor deadpanned, happy to see her smile. Reaching for a cloth he dabbed at his shoulder and neck. "I'm going to put her in the cot for a bit. She'll be okay without contact for a while and you'll get a bit of a rest" he stated absently as he walked around to the other side of the bed, pausing suddenly as he caught sight of the jumble of medical equipment that was sprawled out on the floor. What had happened? He could only imagine she'd discovered the catheter while he was asleep and panicked, taking that and the drip out.

"Missy" he whispered, placing Aoife in the cot and walking over to check she hadn't done any damage. "What?" The Time Lady grumbled, "I was just starting to fall to sleep." The Doctor let out an exasperated sigh. "Why did you do take the drip and catheter out?" he asked, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice. Just as he thought she was getting better, she proved him wrong. Missy's eyes widened guiltily and he found himself looking at her properly for the first time since he'd woken up. She'd looked pale and tired since the birth but now there was something else. She looked nervous. "What happened?" He asked, concern pooling. "Nothing" Missy lied, worried by Alsaz's threat as she turned away and tried to ignore him. "If you wanted the wires gone we would have got Kate. You could have hurt yourself" he sighed, not convinced with her response. As she turned away, he caught sight of the red hand mark across her jaw. "Just leave it" Missy muttered, scratching at the side of face and giving the Doctor the perfect view of her bruised wrist that was starting to swell. "No I won't. Someone was here while I was sleeping. Who? Was it Gordon? The Time Lords?" Missy pulled her hand down and hid it under the sheets. "No one" she whispered, turning away and curling up as she tried to sleep.

"Kos, I can see the marks. Please let me see your wrist" he softened. "No. I'm fed up of everyone prodding me. It's all I've had for the past nine months." The Doctor sighed, "it looks painful though, I can help." Missy curled up smaller. "No. Please, just leave me alone" she begged. It was pitiful and the Doctor couldn't understand why she was hiding things from him. "You don't need to hide things from me, I'll believe you" he prompted, knowing he hadn't been good at it always believing her in their recent lives. That wasn't entirely without reason though. "I'm not hiding anything" she continued, back tensing as she heard Aoife snuffle in her cot. She didn't want her to wake up yet, she needed even just half an hour to herself. "She's fine, she's gone back to sleep" the Doctor reassured, reaching out stroking her back. "I want to sleep while I can" Missy muttered, hoping the Doctor would drop the subject.

The Doctor backed away and sat down on the chair with a sigh, pulling out his phone and rang Kate. She was only in her office but he didn't want to leave Missy alone. They had had a buzzer that called Kate or Dr. Chang directly but Missy had enjoyed using it just a little too much earlier in the evening and now it had been confiscated. "Kate" he whispered, standing up and walking away from Missy's bed as the Time Lady started to stir. "They've been in the room. The Time Lords, they've been threatening her" he said quickly, looking over his shoulder as Missy began to grumble. "That's impossible," Kate replied tiredly. The Doctor had been nothing but over protective of the Time Lady since she'd given birth; he was half of the reason they'd removed the call button from her room. "Our security is flawless, we would know if the Time Lords had been here." The Doctor scoffed, watching Missy wake up and slowly sit up. She looked more confused than when she'd gone to sleep and he wouldn't be surprised if it was to do with the tracker. "Yes, you have an excellent track record" he drawled in response to Kate while walking over to Missy and trying to smile reassuringly at her.

"I can't be here" Missy said blankly as she looked around her room, eyes lingering over Aoife in the cot. Moving faster than she was really able, she pulled the covers back and made to pick up the sleeping time tot. The Doctor jolted forward, trying to keep up. "Kate, look…just for once would you believe me? I need you down here now."


End file.
